WAFER’S 

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A NEW  VOYAGE  AND 
DESCRIPTION  OF  THE 
ISTHMUS  OF  AMERICA 

BY  LIONEL  WAFER  ^ 


Reprinted  from  the  original  edition  of  1699 

EDITED  BY 

GEORGE  PARKER  WINSHIP 
Librarian  of  the  John  Carter  Brown  Library 


CLEVELAND 

The  Burrows  Brothers  Company 
1903 


Copyright,  1903 


BY 

The  Burrows  Brothers  Company 


Cleveland 


CONTENTS 


Map  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  and 


Mr.  Wafer’s  Voyages;  and  Description 

of  the  Isthmus  of  America  . -33 

Mr.  Wafer’s  Description  of  the  Isth- 
mus of  America  . . . .69 

Of  the  Trees,  Fruits,  &c.  in  the  Isth- 
mus of  America . . . -95 

Of  the  Animals ; and  first  of  Beasts 

and  Reptiles  . . . .110 

The  Birds,  and  flying  Insects  . .118 

Of  the  Fish  . . . . .126 

Of  the  Indian  Inhabitants ; their 
Manners,  Customs,  &c.  . *131 

Mr.  Wafer’s  Voyages,  &c.  . . • i/3 

Index  .......  199 

Map:  Isthmus  of  Darien,  & Bay  of  Panama, 
facing  page  33.  Illustrations : The  Indians 
manner  of  Bloodletting,  facing  page  54 ; The 
Indians  in  their  Robes  in  Councel,  and  Smoaking 
tobacco  after  their  facing  page  109;  The 

Indians  marching  upon  a Visit,  or  to  Feast, 
facing  page  137. 

Supplementary  Index  . . . .211 


Darien 

Introduction  . 
Wafer’s  Darien 


Frontispiece 


7 

25 

27 

29 

31 


Title-page  ( facsimile ) 

Dedication 

To  the  Reader 


INTRODUCTION 

OF  all  the  American  inter-oceanic  highways, 
the  one  which  is  today  least  known  was 
at  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century 
the  most  familiar  to  the  readers  of  popular 
literature.  The  pressure  of  European  rivalries 
and  the  opportunities  for  money-getting,  com- 
bined with  the  interest  which  every  one  feels 
in  the  doings  of  those  whose  career  lies  outside 
the  pale  of  ordinary  legalized  ways  of  getting  a 
livelihood,  gave  to  the  side-door  entrance  to  the 
Pacific  — the  Darien  route  of  Wafer  and  his 
fellow-buccaneers  — a prominence  greater  than 
it  enjoyed  ever  before  or  since.  During  the 
twenty  years  which  ended  in  1700,  there  was 
an  intermittent  stream  of  travelers  along  this 
route,  occasionally  interrupted  for  a season  or 
two,  and  then  started  afresh  by  new  rumors 
of  Spanish  unpreparedness  or  by  some  too 
vigorous  investigation  into  the  doings  of  chance 
sailing  vessels  on  the  Caribbean  waters.  Eng- 
lish and  French  and  New-Englanders,  with 
Dutch  and  Moors  and  native  Americans,  the 
pick  of  the  ne’er-do-wells  of  all  the  world, 
climbed  the  mountain-paths  and  floated  down 
stream  into  the  South  Seas,  to  fight  or  to  drown. 


8 


INTRODUCTION 


to  gamble  and  gorge  or  perish  of  thirst,  for  the 
sake  of  winning  the  gold  demanded  by  the  harlots 
and  winesellers  of  Kingstown  and  Petit  Guaves. 

Great  as  are  the  gains  of  piracy,  they  must 
always  be  less  than  the  ultimate  profits  of 
legitimate  trade,  and  so  the  unyielding  laws  of 
human  affairs  decreed  that  the  buccaneers  must 
disappear,  and  with  them  went  their  favorite 
pathways  to  the  hunting-grounds  across  the 
Isthmus.  The  country  through  which  they 
passed  remains  today  much  as  they  left  it  two 
hundred  years  ago,  as  it  has  been  preserved  for 
us  on  the  pages  of  Lionel  Wafer’s  entertaining 
account  of  what  he  saw  and  did  in  the  spring 
months  of  the  year  i68i.  The  candle-snuffers 
have  been  displaced  by  sometimes- white  cotton 
breeches,  and  the  sellers  of  print-cloths  have 
introduced  the  gaiety  of  their  fabrics  into  the 
scenes  of  merry-making.  The  missionary 
priests  have  taken  the  place  of  the  pawaws, 
and  by  the  service  of  the  mass  and  the  jollifica- 
tions of  holy  days  are  gradually  leading  their 
widely  scattered  flocks  toward  European  ways 
of  living  and  thinking.  But  the  mountain - 
passes  remain  as  steep  as  of  old,  the  torrents 
flood  the  valleys  with  the  same  overwhelming 
unexpectedness,  the  plantain-walks  are  as 
delightsome  and  the  savannahs  as  fruitful,  as 
when  Wafer  saw  them. 

For  more  than  a hundred  years  Spain  per- 
sisted in  the  refusal  to  allow  her  heretical  British 
rivals  to  have  any  lawful  commercial  intercourse 
with  her  possessions  in  the  West  Indies.  But 


INTRODUCTION 


9 


prohibitions  and  interdicts  could  not  keep  the 
English  sailors  and  traders  away  from  the 
wealth  of  the  Islands  and  the  Main.  The 
Spaniards  indulged  in  the  pleasures  of  retalia- 
tion, despite  the  fact  that  each  year  found  them 
further  and  further  behind  in  the  account  against 
the  free-handed  British  rovers.  There  was  “ no 
peace  beyond  the  line”  of  the  tropics,  and  so 
the  plundering  of  ships  and  stealing  of  crops 
went  on,  to  the  demoralizing  prosperity  of 
Jamaica  and  of  some  high  in  official  station  at 
home.  But  the  end  had  to  come  at  last,  and  the 
Treaty  of  Madrid  was  agreed  to  in  the  summer  of 
1671,  just  too  late  to  save  Spain  from  the  crown- 
ing aggravation  of  Morgan’s  sack  of  Panama. 

Peace  was  more  easily  proclaimed  than 
enforced.  The  habits  of  more  than  a century  — 
habits  of  reckless  daring  and  riotous  debauchery, 
of  a steady  flow  of  Spanish  treasure  through 
Jamaica  toward  London,  where  the  complaints 
of  those  who  felt  the  decrease  in  rents  and  per- 
quisites were  not  the  least  of  the  troubles  of  the 
Lords  of  Trade  and  Plantations  — were  not 
readily  overcome.  Some  of  the  buccaneers  who, 
like  Henry  Morgan,  were  in  funds  at  the  time, 
settled  down  and  became  most  respectable 
members  of  the  community.  More  spent  their 
money  as  they  had  spent  it  before,  and  then 
looked  about  for  a fresh  supply.  Thus  it  is 
easy  to  understand  how  it  came  to  pass  that 
every  now  and  then  a shipload  of  jolly  lads, 
with  nothing  in  the  world  to  lose,  sailed  out  by 
Port  Royal  to  take  whatever  the  high  seas  had 
to  offer. 


10 


INTRODUCTION 


With  one  of  these  crews  Lionel  Wafer  set  out 
to  seek  his  fortune.  He  was  a young  English- 
man who  had  already  voyaged  to  the  East 
Indies,  picking  up  some  notions  of  surgery  and 
physic  on  the  way,  and  he  had  traveled  in 
Ireland  and  Scotland,  where  he  acquired  the 
Highland  tongue.  He  went  to  Jamaica  to  visit 
a brother,  who  found  a place  for  him,  but  the 
tales  of  the  seas  soon  tempted  him  away  from 
settled  life.  The  increasing  freedom  with 
which  the  buccaneers  came  and  went  during 
the  rule  of  Governor  Modyford  encouraged  them 
to  make  plans  for  an  exploit  which  should  rival 
Morgan’s  famous  sack  of  Panama.  Recruits 
were  easily  gathered,  and  when  Wafer  reached 
the  rendezvous  at  one  of  the  islands  off  the  Da- 
rien coast,  he  found  nearly  four  hundred  com- 
rades assembled  to  discuss  the  opportunities  for 
successful  plunderings.  They  decided  to  attack 
Santa  Maria,  a gold-washing  station  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Isthmus.  Leaving  a small 
guard  with  their  seven  ships,  they  began  the  over- 
land march  on  April  5,  1680.  Nine  days  of  hard 
marching  up  and  down  hills  and  of  harder  float- 
ing down  streams  choked  with  logs  over  which 
the  heavy  tree-trunk  canoes  had  to  be  dragged, 
brought  the  party  to  their  goal,  which  was 
promptly  carried  by  assault.  Unluckily,  most 
of  the  Spaniards  had  fled  at  the  first  warning  of 
their  approach,  carrying  off  nearly  everything 
of  value.  This  disappointment  confirmed  the 
majority  of  the  buccaneers  in  a desire  to  pursue 
their  earlier  plan  of  attacking  Panama,  and  the 
less  venturesome  minority,  who  favored  going 


INTRODUCTION 


11 


back  to  the  ships,  were  induced  to  go  forward 
by  the  election  of  their  leader,  Coxon,  as  chief 
of  the  expedition.  Seven  who  were  too  faint- 
hearted to  go  on  were  sent  back  to  notify  the 
guard  at  the  ships,  while  the  rest  embarked  in 
canoes  procured  from  the  Indians  and  rowed 
forth  to  try  the  fortunes  of  the  South  Seas. 

A trading-boat,  unsuspicious  of  danger,  soon 
fell  in  their  way,  and  became  the  nucleus  of 
their  fleet.  Approaching  Panama,  they  learned 
that  the  city  had  been  forewarned  by  the  fugi- 
tives from  Santa  Maria,  and  three  little  war-ships 
confirmed  this  news  by  coming  out  to  attack 
them.  There  was  a sharp  fight,  which  ended 
by  two  of  the  Spanish  ships  being  added  to  the 
buccaneer  force.  The  new-comers  spent  the 
next  fortnight  in  looking  about  among  the 
islands  of  the  Gulf  of  Panama,  picking  up  a few 
stray  provision  boats,  searching  for  fresh-water 
supply,  planning  schemes  for  the  future,  and 
talking  about  their  exploits  in  the  recent 
battles.  Some  of  the  stories  told  about  the 
fight  off  Panama  described  the  backwardness  of 
Coxon  in  closing  with  the  enemy,  and  when  this 
gossip  reached  his  ears,  he  took  such  offense 
that  he  forthwith  abandoned  the  expedi- 
tion and  started  back  across  the  Isthmus  to 
the  North  Sea.  About  seventy  of  his  immediate 
followers  went  with  him,  leaving  behind  the 
wounded  men  of  their  company.  The  bad  feel- 
ing caused  thereby  was  aggravated  by  the  fact 
that  Coxon  took  away  the  principal  surgeon  and 
most  of  the  medicines.  This  doubtless  con- 
tributed to  Wafer’s  professional  advancement. 


12 


INTRODUCTION 


although  he  seems  still  to  have  been  far 
from  holding  a recognized  place  as  a practitioner. 
A merchant  craft  from  Truxillo  in  Peru,  loaded 
with  gunpowder,  two  thousand  jars  of  wine  and 
brandy,  and  fifty-one  thousand  pieces-of-eight 
(the  Spanish  colonial  dollar),  relieved  the  monot- 
ony of  gossip  and  fault-finding,  and  then  it  was 
decided  to  take  Puebla  Nueva,  north  of  Pana- 
ma. Here  a careless  beginning  led  to  rash- 
ness, for  which  Sawkins,  Coxon’s  successor  as 
chief,  paid  with  his  life,  and  the  attack  failed 
completely.  Sawkins  was  probably  the  ablest 
of  the  captains,  and  his  definite  schemes  for  a 
campaign  down  the  Peruvian  coast  and  home- 
ward through  the  Strait  of  Magellan  had  held 
together  many  who  felt  little  sympathy  with 
the  more  reckless  of  the  freebooters.  After  his 
death,  sixty-three  of  his  followers ' withdrew 
from  the  expedition  and  went  back  by  way  of 
the  Darien  route.  Some  time  before  this,  two 
of  the  smaller  boats,  with  seven  and  fifteen  men 
in  them,  had  slipped  away  from  the  fleet  to  try 
their  luck  by  themselves,  with  what  results  is 
not  known.  Despite  the  departure  of  the  more 
discordant  partisans,  there  was  still  a pro- 
nounced difference  of  opinion  among  those  who 
remained  regarding  future  plans,  and  this  was 
increased  by  the  election  of  Bartholomew  Sharp 
as  Sawkins ’s  successor.  Sharp  was  in  all  prob- 
ability the  best  man  for  the  chief  command, 
although  a large  party,  including  Wafer  and 
Dampier,  had  no  confidence  in  his  courage  or 
skill  as  a leader. 

A cruise  to  the  southward  was  decided  upon. 


INTRODUCTION 


13 


and  for  six  months,  beginning  June  6,  1680,  the 
buccaneers  followed  the  South  American  coast. 
The  trip  yielded  little  except  to  the  luckier 
gamesters,  in  whose  money-bags  the  bulk  of 
the  plunder  gradually  accumulated.  A well- 
planned  attack  on  Guayaquil  had  to  be  given  up 
because  of  information  secured  by  the  enemy 
from  a stray  party  which  had  gone  off  in  a 
small  boat  to  look  for  women  and  wine,  and  who 
were  quickly  enticed  into  an  ambuscade.  The 
tedious  voyage,  with  vanishing  water  supply, 
continued  down  the  coast  to  Arica,  where  armed 
horsemen  awaited  their  arrival  at  every  land- 
ing-place. Thence  they  bore  up  for  Ilo,  where 
fortune  changed  and  the  town  was  captured. 
They  found  little  booty,  everything  of  value 
having  been  removed  excepting  the  much- 
needed  water  and  fruit-trees.  From  here  they 
sailed  to  the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez,  where 
the  labors  of  gathering  wood,  water,  and  goat 
meat  were  enlivened  by  the  festivities  of  Christ- 
mas and  New  Year’s. 

The  disputes  over  Sharp’s  leadership  contin- 
ued and,  while  at  Juan  Fernandez,  he  was 
outwitted  and  put  in  irons  until  after  an  old- 
time  buccaneer,  John  Watling,  had  been  agreed 
upon  to  be  his  successor  as  chief.  The  appear- 
ance of  three  armed  vessels  approaching  the 
island  forced  the  buccaneers  to  put  to  sea,  and 
Watling  easily  persuaded  his  fellows,  who  were 
no  more  eager  than  the  Spaniards  to  close  in  an 
engagement,  to  sail  away  for  the  mainland.  A 
spirited  attack  was  made  on  Arica,  and  the  city 
should  have  been  taken,  but  Watling,  unable 


14 


INTRODUCTION 


to  control  his  men,  misdirected  the  assault.  He 
was  killed,  and  the  whole  force  came  very  near 
to  the  same  end.  Sharp,  who  had  been  fight- 
ing in  the  ranks,  at  last  yielded  to  entreaties 
and  took  command,  successfully  drawing  off  his 
comrades  to  their  boats.  In  the  confusion  the 
surgeons,  although  aware  of  the  retreat,  were 
left  behind  — a result  of  their  having  found  a 
well-stocked  wine-room  in  the  church  which 
they  had  occupied  to  use  as  a hospital.  Luckily 
their  profession  was  in  demand  thereabouts,  and 
after  they  had  sobered  off,  their  lives  were 
granted  on  condition  that  they  settled  down  to 
practice  in  the  city.  Wafer,  who  was  one  of  the 
guard  stationed  at  the  boats  during  the  engage- 
ment and  thus  escaped  the  fate  of  his  profes- 
sional superiors,  seems  by  their  loss  to  have 
risen  to  the  post  of  chief  surgeon  to  what  was 
left  of  the  expedition. 

The  disaster  at  Arica  aroused  fresh  dissen- 
sions, which  were  not  quieted  by  a lucky  descent 
upon  Ilo  a few  days  later.  Continuing  the 
voyage  northward,  when  off  the  Isle  of  Plate  or 
Drake’s  Island,  made  famous  by  the  tales  of 
how ’Sir  Francis  divided  his  booty  by  the  bucket- 
fuls of  coined  silver,  the  factions  finally  agreed 
to  separate.  The  minority,  numbering  fifty- 
two,  of  whom  three  were  Indians  and  five  negro 
slaves,  started  off  in  two  canoes  and  the  ship’s 
launch  or  long-boat,  to  make  their  way  back  to 
the  North  Sea  by  way  of  Darien.  One  of  this 
party  was  Wafer,  whose  account  of  his  experi- 
ences during  the  ensuing  six  months  forms  the 
main  portion  of  the  present  volume.  Wafer 


INTRODUCTION 


16 


and  his  companions  in  the  small  open  boats 
were  nearly  swamped  before  they  reached  the 
mainland  shore,  where  they  found  a bark  for 
which  they  exchanged  their  craft,  and  in  this 
continued  their  voyage  more  comfortably.  At 
the  mouth  of  the  Santa  Maria  River,  a Spanish 
cruiser  was  watching  for  buccaneers  going  or 
coming  by  the  Isthmus  route,  and  so  they  sailed 
by,  to  a creek  where  they  landed  May  i,  i68i. 
Twenty-three  days  later,  after  a series  of  mis- 
haps, one  of  which  disabled  Wafer  so  badly  that 
he  had  to  be  left  in  the  care  of  some  friendly 
Indians,  thirty-nine  of  the  party  reached  the 
north  coast,  where  they  were  taken  aboard  a 
buccaneer  vessel  which  chanced  to  be  anchored 
there.  One  of  Wafer’s  companions  who  com- 
pleted the  journey  with  the  main  party  was 
William  Dampier,  who  afterward  published 
an  account  of  his  voyages.  He  gave  a 
detailed  account  of  this  march,  which  supple- 
ments the  narrative  of  Wafer  with  so  little 
duplication  that  it  seems  certain  that  the  two 
authors  were  closely  associated  while  writing 
their  respective  books.  The  circumstances 
under  which  they  wrote  will  be  explained 
toward  the  end  of  this  Introduction. 

After  the  departure  of  the  party  of  Dampier 
and  Wafer  from  Drake’s  Island  in  April,  i68i, 
the  main  body  under  Captain  Sharp  continued 
their  voyage,  meeting  with  various  prizes. 
Aboard  one  of  these,  taken  in  August,  they 
found  letters  which  stated  that  the  Spaniards 
had  captiired  one  of  Wafer’s  companions,  a 
fellow  who  tired  of  walking  and  dropped  behind 


16 


INTRODUCTION 


during  the  third  day’s  march,  and  that  the  rest 
of  the  party  had  been  forced  to  fight  its  way 
against  both  Spaniards  and  Indians  entirely 
across  the  Isthmus,  a detail  which  does  not 
agree  with  the  accounts  of  either  Dampier  or 
Wafer.  Sharp  and  his  fellow- voyagers,  about 
the  first  of  September,  decided  to  leave  the 
Pacific.  Missing  the  Strait  of  Magellan,  they 
were  blown  southward  into  the  region  of  ice- 
bergs, through  which  they  passed  safely,  and 
celebrated  Christmas  while  northward  bound 
in  the  Atlantic.  Barbados  was  sighted  January 
28,  1682,  but  the  appearance  of  a British 

cruiser  in  the  harbor  led  them  to  keep  on  to 
Antigua,  where  they  sent  ashore  for  tobacco 
and  permission  to  enter  the  port.  The  latter 
was  flatly  refused,  and  so  they  agreed  to  give 
the  vessel  to  those  of  the  company  who  had 
gambled  away  all  their  gains,  while  the  others 
were  set  quietly  ashore. 

One  of  Sharp’s  companions,  Basil  Ringrose, 
took  passage  on  a ship  from  Antigua  to  London, 
where  he  arrived  in  March,  1682.  He  found 
the  town  full  of  gossip  about  the  buccaneers. 
Exquemeling’s  account  of  Henry  Morgan’s 
exploits,  originally  published  in  Dutch  in  1678, 
had  become  more  widely  known  after  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  Spanish  edition  in  1681.  An 
English  version  was  in  demand,  and  soon 
appeared  with  the  title:  Bucaniers  of  America : 
Or^  a true  Account  of  the  Most  remarkable  Assaults 
Committed  of  late  years  upon  the  Coasts  of  The  West- 
Indies,  . . . Written  originally  in  Dutch^ 

thence  translated  into  Spanish,  Now  faithfully  ren- 


INTRODUCTION 


17 


dred  into  English,  (London : printed  for  William 
Crooke,  1684.)*  Some  of  the  buccaneers  who 
were  living  respectably  in  London  took  offense  at 
statements  which  appeared  in  Crooke’s  edition, 
and  they  were  perhaps  responsible  for  another 
version  of  Exquemeling’s  book  which  was 
entitled:  The  History  of  the  Bucaniers. 

Made  English  from  the  Dutch  Copy^  very  much  Cor- 
rected^ from  the  Err  ours  of  the  Original^  by  the 
Relations  of  some  English  Gentlemen,  that  then 
resided  in  those  Parts,  Den  Engelseman  is  een 
Duyvil  voor  een  Mensch,  (London,  Printed  for 
Tho.  Mai  thus,  1684.)  f The  corrections  in  this 
version,  as  a comparison  of  the  collations 
suggests,  consisted  principally  in  omissions. 
Another  book  which  came  out  this  year  to  sup- 
ply the  popular  demand  was  edited  by  Philip 
Ayres  with  the  title:  The  Voyages  and  Adven- 
tures of  Capt,  Barth,  Sharp  And  others.  Published 
by  P,  A,  Esq.  (London,  1684.):}:  This  volume 

contained  a diary  of  Sharp’s  voyage,  probably 
abstracted  from  the  captain’s  log-book,  which 
was  printed  more  fully  on  pages  1-55  of  A Col- 
lection of  Original  Voyages.  . . . Published  by 

Capt.  William  Hacke.  (London,  printed  for  James 
Knapton,  1699.)**  Crooke  meanwhile  had 
secured  from  Ringrose  a much  more  detailed 
account  of  his  voyage  with  Sharp,  and  pub- 

* Small  quarto.  Title;  5 11.  “To  the  Reader;”  text,  pp. 
1-115,  1-151,  1-124;  6 11.  “ Table;  ” and  9 plates. 

t Small  octavo.  Title;  nil.  “To  the  Reader,”  poetical 
dedication  to  Morgan,  etc. ; text,  pp.  1-192 ; and  2 plates. 

t Small  octavo.  Title;  nil.  “Preface;”  text,  pp.  1-172. 

** Small  octavo.  Title;  7 11.  “Index,”  etc.;  text,  pp.  1-45, 
i-ioo,  1-53;  I 1.  advertisement;  and  6 plates. 


18 


INTRODUCTION 


lished  this  as  the  second  volume,  or  Part  IV., 
of  the  Bucaniers  of  America f early  in  1685. 
About  the  same  time,  Crooke  issued  a second 
and  cheaper  edition  of  the  first  volume. f Ex- 
tracts from  all  of  these  books  will  be  found 
in  the  notes  to  Wafer’s  narrative  in  the  present 
volume. 

Wafer,  having  completed  the  sojourn  in  the 
Darien  country  which  he  describes  in  the  nar- 
rative reprinted  herewith,  rejoined  Dampier  and 
the  rest  of  the  party  with  whom  he  had  started 
to  cross  the  Isthmus.  During  the  autumn  of 
1681,  he  cruised  about  the  Caribbean  with  one 
division  of  the  party,  until  the  approach  of  the 
season  for  hurricanes  led  him  to  go  north  to 
Virginia,  where  he  found  Dampier  and  others 
of  the  South  Sea  men  who  had  preceded  him. 
A few  months  of  plantation  life,  even  with  such 
enlivenment  as  was  afforded  by  petty  piracy 
along  the  Carolina  coast,  turned  the  thoughts 
of  the  buccaneers  toward  the  scenes  of  their 
distant  adventures.  In  August,  1683,  Captain 
John  Cook  appeared  in  Chesapeake  Bay,  where 
he  gathered  fifty- two  congenial  spirits,  among 
them  Dampier  and  Wafer,  aboard  his  ship 
The  Revenge,  and  then  set  sail  for  the  southward. 
Off  the  Guinea  coast  they  forcibly  exchanged 
craft  with  the  crew  of  a new  forty-gun  vessel, 
which  they  declared  very  fit  for  their  purposes, 
being  “ well  stored  with  good  Brandy,  Water, 

* Small  quarto.  Title;  7 11.  “Preface;”  text,  pp.  1-212; 
12  11.  “Table;”  2 plates. 

t Small  quarto,  as  the  first  edition.  Title;  5 11.  “To  the 
Reader;”  text,  pp.  i-(55).  1-80,  1-84;  6 11.  “Table;”  and  9 
plates. 


INTRODUCTION 


19 


Provisions,  and  other  necessaries.”  Equipped 
to  their  liking,  they  went  around  the  Horn  into 
the  Pacific.  After  a series  of  profitable  adven- 
tures, the  party  divided  in  August,  1685,  the 
majority,  one  of  whom  was  Dampier,  crossing 
to  the  East  Indies,  while  the  rest,  including 
Wafer,  remained  in  American  waters.  For  two 
years  longer  they  wandered  up  and  down  the 
coast,  taking  a living  as  they  could  find  it. 
Late  in  1687,  they  decided  to  return  to  the  At- 
lantic, and  after  a trying  voyage  were  once 
more  in  the  West  Indies.  Piracy  was  now  an 
unprofitable  risk  thereabouts,  and  so  the  crew 
split  up.  Wafer  getting  passage  to  Philadelphia. 
After  a short  visit  in  Virginia,  he  returned 
home  to  London.  There  he  was  soon  rejoined 
by  Dampier,  who  had  completed  the  circum- 
navigation of  the  globe  by  way  of  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope. 

The  tales  of  these  returning  voyagers  reawak- 
ened interest  in  their  doings  and,  to  meet  the 
demand  of  public  and  publishers,  Dampier  wrote 
his  New  Voyage  around  the  World.  The  volume 
appeared  in  1697,  and  ran  through  four  editions 
before  the  end  of  the  century.  This  success  led 
him  to  write  two  other  volumes,  which  together 
form  the  basis  for  a set  of  his  Voyages.  Dam- 
pier’s  first  volume  was  illustrated  with  five 
maps,  one  of  which  represented  the  Isthmus  of 
Darien,  with  a dotted  line  showing  his  route 
across  in  1681  and  the  different  stopping-places 
during  that  journey.  This  map  was  afterwards 
used  to  illustrate  Wafer’s  narrative,  and  it  is 
reproduced  in  the  present  volume.  In  examin- 


INTRODUCTION 


ing  it,  the  reader  should  recollect  that  the  route 
marked  on  it  is  that  of  Dampier  and  the  main 
body  of  his  companions,  and  not  that  traversed 
a few  months  later  by  Wafer. 

While  Dampier  was  writing  his  first  book,  a 
scheme  was  being  promoted  for  establishing  a 
Scotch  colony  on  the  northern  Darien  coast. 
Wide-spread  public  curiosity,  rivaling  that  of 
the  South  Sea  and  Mississippi  bubbles,  was 
stirred  up  throughout  Britain.  Wafer,  than 
whom  no  one  was  more  familiar  with  the  coun- 
try about  which  every  one  was  talking,  took 
advantage  of  the  opportunity  and,  in  1699,  pub- 
lished an  account  of  his  observations  and  experi- 
ences in  Darien.*  This  was  the  first  edition  of 
the  work  which  is  reprinted  in  the  present 
volume.  Wafer’s  book  was  by  no  means  depend- 
ent upon  the  mischances  of  the  Scotch  settle- 
ment for  success.  A second  edition  f ap- 
peared in  1704,  the  special  occasion  being  the 
interest  aroused  by  reports  of  a lucky  raid  on 
the  gold  mines  on  the  south  side  of  the  Isthmus, 
of  which  it  contains  an  account  written  by  one 
of  the  raiders  named  Davis.  This  edition  also 
included  “ An  Additional  Account  of  several 
Beasts,  Birds,  Fishes,  Reptiles,  &c.  and  partic- 
ularly many  Trees,  Shrubs,  and  Herbs,  with 
their  Names,  Use,  Vertues,  &c.  as  has  been 
observ’d  in  those  Parts.  Communicated  by  a 
Member  of  the  Royal  Society.  ’ ’ This  fills  pages 

* Octavo.  Title,  as  on  page  27;  3 11.  dedication,  etc.;  text, 
pp.  1-224;  7 It  “ Index;”  i 1.  ‘‘  Books  printed  for  Janaes 

Knapton;”  map  and  3 plates. 

t Title;  7 11.  dedication  and  preface;  text,  pp.  1-283;  6 11. 
” Index  ;”  map  and  3 plates. 


INTRODUCTION 


21 


180-262,  and  its  value  may  be  guessed  from  the 
quotations  which  are  given  among  the  notes  to 
Wafer’s  text.  Wafer’s  narrative  was  printed 
again  in  1729,  as  pages  263-463  of  the  third 
volume  of  Dampier’s  Voyages. 

The  Dutch  were  quick  to  appreciate  the  value 
of  Wafer’s  narrative,  as  well  as  its  proper  rela- 
tion to  Dampier’s  Voyages j for  it  forms  a part  of 
Sewel’s  translation  of  Dampier,  the  second 
volume  of  which  has  the  title : Tweede  Deel  van 
William  Dampiers  Reystogt.  . . . Midsgaders 

een  Naauwkeurige  heschryving  van  Darien  Of  de 
Land-engte  van  Amerika^  . . . beschreeven 

door  Lionel  Wafer.  A lies  uyt  het  Engelsch  vertaald 
door  W.  SeweL  (In’s  Gravenhage.  By  Abraham 
de  Hond,  1700.)  Wafer  has  also  a separate 
title,  a close  translation  from  the  first  English 
title,  with  the  addition  of  two  lines,  “Uyt  het 
Engelsche  vertaald  door  W.  Sewel, ’’  and  the 
imprint,  “Gravenhage,  1700;’’  so  that  this 
part  of  the  volume,  which  has  its  own  pagina- 
tion,* may  have  been  sold  separately.  Sewel ’s 
translation  was  reprinted  at  Amsterdam  in 
1716-  17. 

A French  version,  with  the  title:  Les  Voyages 
de  Lionnel  Waffer  contenant  une  description  tres- 
exacte  de  V Isthme  de  V Amerique  & de  toute  la 
nouvelle  Espagne,  translated  by  M.  de  Montirat, 
“ Interprete  des  Langues,’’  was  published  at 
Paris,  “ chez  Claude  Cellier,’’  in  i7o6.f  The 

* Title;  1 1.  “ Aan  den  Leezer;”  text,  pp.  5-88;  4 11.  “ Blad- 
wyzer;  ” map  and  3 plates. 

t Small  octavo.  Title ; 3 preliminary  11. ; text,  pp.  1-398 ; 
2 11.  “ Privilege  du  Roy;  ” 2 maps. 


22 


INTRODUCTION 


translation  follows  the  first  edition  of  Wafer, 
with  some  slight  condensation,  including  the 
elimination  of  the  Scotch  vocabulary,  and  ends 
on  page  253.  The  remainder  of  the  volume 
contains  a narrative  of  the  adventures  of  the 
captain  of  a Spanish  vessel,  the  Tartan  men- 
tioned in  the  note  on  page  64,  who  had  been  cap- 
tured and  taken  to  London,  where  Wafer  is  said 
to  have  met  him  while  he  was  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  money  from  Peru  with  which  to  pay 
his  ransom.  This  Spanish  captain’s  narrative 
follows  Wafer’s  account  without  any  break  in 
the  text  or  any  explanation  of  the  fact  that  it 
is  not  translated  from  the  same  English  volume 
as  the  preceding  account. 

Another  French  edition,  Voyage  de  M^.  Wafer, 
Oil  V on  trouve  la  description  de  V 1st hme  de  V Arne- 
rique,  was  published  Chez  la  Veuve  de  Paul 
Marret,”  Amsterdam,  1714.*  This  is  a different 
translation  of  Wafer,  including  the  Scotch 
vocabulary,  and  also  containing  the  Spanish 
captain’s  narrative. 

In  1707  a German  translation  appeared  as  a 
part  of  the  Dritter  Theil  Der  Reisen  Herrn  Wilhelm 
Dampier  . . . Welchem  heygefiiget  worden : 

Herrn  Leonel  Wafers,  eines  Englischen  Chirurgi, 
Reise  und  Beschreibung  des  Isthmi  oder  Erd-Enge 
Darien  in  Americd.  A us  der  Englischen  in  die 
Frantzosische,  und  aus  dieser  in  die  Hoch-  Deutsche 
Sprache  iibersetzet,  (Franckfurt  und  Leipzig,  Bey 
Michael  Rohrlachs  seel.  Wittib  und  Erben, 
1707.)  Wafer  occupies  pages  200-421,  with  a 
map  and  the  three  plates.  The  Scotch  vocabu- 

* Small  octavo.  Title;  text,  pp.  3-262;  7 11.  “Table.” 


INTRODUCTION 


23 


lary  is  given,  but  not  the  Spanish  captain’s 
narrative. 

There  are  references  to  a Swedish  edition,  by 
S.  Oedmann,  Upsala,  1789,  in  octavo,  but  no 
copy  of  this  has  as  yet  been  located  by  the 
editor  of  this  reprint. 

A Spanish  translation,  made  from  one  of  the 
French  texts,  by  Sr.  D.  Vicente  Restrepo,  was 
published  in  the  Bogotd  (Colombia)  Reportorio 
Colombiano  in  1880-81.  Sr.  Restrepo  after- 
wards secured  a copy  of  the  original  English 
edition,  with  which  he  carefully  compared  his 
translation.  The  revised  text  was  published 
with  the  title : Viajes  de  Lionel  Wafer  al  Istmo  del 

Darien  ( cuatro  meses  entre  los  indios ) traducidos  y 
anotados  por  Vicente  Restrepo.  (Bogotd,  1888.)* 
The  translation  gives  the  descriptive  portions 
of  Wafer’s  volume  in  full,  the  narrative  of 
travel  being  much  condensed.  Sr.  Restrepo 
annotated  the  text  with  many  extremely  valu- 
able notes,  which  have  been  freely  used  in  the 
present  edition.  Those  marked  with  his  initials 
(V.  R.),  are  taken  directly  from  his  pages.  In 
addition  to  these  notes,  his  volume  contains  an 
account  of  a trip  through  the  country  described 
by  Wafer,  made  in  1887  by  the  son  of  the  trans- 
lator, D.  Ernesto  Restrepo.  This  description 
of  the  country  as  it  now  is,  affords  the  most 
convincing  evidence  of  the  accuracy  and  reli- 
ability of  Wafer’s  observations. 

The  present  volume  contains  an  exact  reprint 
of  the  first  edition  of  Wafer’s  New  Voyage ^ as  it 


♦Octavo.  2 titles;  pp.  v-xx,  “Prologo,”  etc.;  text,  pp. 
I -129;  1 1.  “Indice.” 


A NEW 

VOYAGE 

AND 

DESCRIPTION 

O F T H E 

IJlhmus  of  America, 

Giving  an  Account  of  the 

Authors  Abode  there. 

The  Form  and  Make  of  the  Country  , 
the  Coafisy  Hidsy  Rivers,  &c.  Woods, 
Soil,  Weather,  See.  Trees,  Fruit,  Beafts, 
Birds,  Fijh,  &c. 

The  Indian  Inhabitants,  their  Features, 
Complexion,  8rc.  their  Manners,  Cu- 
ftomSjEmployments, Marriages, Feafts, 
Hunting,  Computation,  Language,  &c. 

With  Remarkable  Occurrences  in  the  South 
Sea,  and  elfewhere. 

By  LIONEL  WAFER. 
3|Cuarattti  told)  Ctfttral  Coppec=^Iateg. 
LONDON.- 

Printed  for  3ame0  Bnapton , at  the  Cfoan  in 
St.  P<j«rs  Church  yard,  lOpp. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


29 


[iii]  To  his  Excellency,  the  Right  Honourable 
Henry  Earl  of  Romney, 

Vif count  Sidney  of  Sheppey,  and  Baron  of 
Milton  in  the  County  of  Kent,  Lord  Lieutenant 
of  the  fame,  and  of  the  City  Canterbury , Vice- 

Admiral  of  the  fame,  Lord  Warden  of  the  Cinque 
Ports,  Conjiable  of  Dover  Cafile,  Mafier  of  the 
Ordinance,  Lieutenant-General  of  His  Majefty' s 
Forces,  Collonel  of  His  Majeftf  s own  Regiment 
of  Foot  Guards,  One  of  the  Lords  of  His  Majefiy' s 
Bed-Chamber,  One  of  the  Lords  of  His  Maje fly's 
moLt  Honourable  Privy  Council ; and  One  of  the 
Lords  Juflices  of  England,  during  the  Ab fence 
of  His  Majefty. 

This  Relation  of  bis  Travels,  [iv]  And 
Defcription  of  tbe  ISTHMUS  of  AMERICA, 
is  bumbly  Dedicated  by 

His  Excellency  s 
MoLi  Devoted 

Humble  Servant, 


Lionel  Wafer. 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


31 


[v]  To  the  Reader. 

TH  O'  this  Book  bears  partly  the  Name  of 
yet  I /hall  here  acquaint  you 
before-hand,  as  I have  hinted  in  the  Book 
it  felf,  That  you  are  not  to  expert  any  Thing  like 
a Compleat  Journal,  or  Hijiorical  Account  of  all 
Occurrences  in  the  Scene  of  my  Travels,  My 
principal  Defign  was  to  give  what  Defcription  I 
could  of  the  HCtbtttUS  of  !0atiCnt  where  I was 
left  among  the  wild\y\\  Indians:  And  as  for  the 
preceding  and  fubfequent  Relations,  I have,  in 
them,  only  briefly  reprefented  the  Conrfe  of  my 
Voyages;  without  particularizing,  any  further, 
than  to  fpeak  of  a few  Things  I thought  more 
efpecially  remarkable.  I cannot  pretend  to  fo  great 
an  Exa6tnefs,  but  that  I may  have  fail'd  in  fome 
Circnmflances,  efpecially  in  the  Defcriptional 
Part',  which  I leave  to  be  made  up  by  the  longer 
Experience,  and  more  accurate  Obfervations  of 
Others.  But  I have  been  as  careful  as  I could'. 
And  tho  there  are  fome  Matters  of  Fad;  that  will 
feem  ftrange,  yet  I have  been  more  efpecially 
careful  in  thefe,  to  fay  nothing  but  what,  accord- 
ing to  the  beji  of  my  Knowledge,  is  the  very 
Truth.  /■  [vii]  was  but  Young  when  I was 
abroad,  and  I kept  no  Journal;  fo  that  I may  be 


32 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


difpenc' d with  as  to  Defeats  and  Failings  of  lefi 
moment.  Yet  I have  not  trujled  altogether  to  my 
own  Memory;  but  fome  Things  I committed  to 
Writing,  long  before  I return'd  to  England;  and 
have  fince  been  frequently  comparing  and  rectifying 
my  Notices,  by  Difconrfing  fuch  of  my  Fellow- 
Travellers  as  I have  met  with  in  London.  And 
'tis  even  my  Delire  that  the  Reader,  as  he  has 
Opportunity^  would  confult  any  of  them,  as  to 
thefe  Particulars  \ being  not  fond  of  having  him 
take  them  upon  my  Jingle  Word.  He  will  do  both 
himfelf  and  me  a Kindnefi  in  it\  if  he  will  be  fo 
Candid,  withal,  as  to  make  me  fuch  Allowance 
[viii]  as  the  Premifes  call  for:  He  will  eafe  me 
of  the  Odium  of  Singularity,  and  himfelf  of 
Doubt,  or  a Knowledge,  it  may  be,  too  defective. 


!iAi  “^*5.  j iior'  vbwoil 

y J;  v>  W.’.V  XOt  Aa2A  /v: 

ii^~ 


; ».-ir-  .r^^ 


tv^  ,*v» 


-i-;u\.*v  ^-.a\ 


» -■ 


. I */.citr<4%t.i*A  V 


ti,;Jo;  rt- 


vAsV. 


I 

•-W-  .V.  .,  \. 


^ rT"^  . ?!  • >.3-?.  \\'XSlX 

-tv  ' 


\ " ti.  iC  'H  ■'*--';3  H 

. _„ 


- ; f 


Si  r ^ w i'  = '^''wKT^^ 

»f  -l  . - ^ '>•«&»,  r=-  -t-  #-*.-.  ^ N - .-4*-.«.: a,  *..  ^.:  ■:  •!X<:y'  Vgcr,^.' 

^ ;•.  X MiL  * J -A-  ■ tT  ^ 


?' . «“‘'f A'l'  j.  .t  ~-f./-^  i'/J  nih'¥':  i 


V‘S  ' 


these  tetiveen  cht  JnlreJuelton  Ic.  Chun 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


33 


[i]  Mr.  Wafer’s  Voyages ; and  Defcription  of 
the  Ifthmus  of  America. 

My  firfl  going  abroad  was  in  the  Great  Ann  The  A.’s 
of  London^  Capt.  Zachary  Browne  Com-  b- 
mander,  bound  for  Bantam  in  the  Ifle  of  voyage^^^ 
Javay  in  the  Eadi- Indies,  in  the  Year  1677.  I 
was  in  the  Service  of  the  Surgeon  of  the  Ship ; 
but  being  then  very  young,  I made  no  great 
Obfervations  in  that  Voyage.  My  Stay  at 
Bantam  was  not  above  a Month,  we  being  fent  Bantam. 
from  thence  to  Jamby  in  the  Ifle  of  Sumatra.  At 
that  time  there  was  a War  between  the  Malayans 
of  lihor  on  the  Promontory  of  Malacca,  and  thofe  lihor. 
of  Jamby  \ and  a Fleet  of  Proe’s  from  lihor e Malacca. 
block’d  up  the  Mouth  of  the  River  of  Jamby.  Jamby. 
The  Town  of  Jamby  is  about  100  Mile  up  the 
River;  [2]  But  within  4 or  5 Mile  of  the  Sea,  it 
hath  a Port  Town  on  the  River,  conhfting  of 
about  15  or  20  Houfes,  built  on  Pofts,  as  the 
Fafhion  of  that  Country  is:  The  Name  of  this 
Port  is  Quolla\  though  this  feems  rather  an  Quolla. 
Appellative  than  a proper  Name,  for  they  gener- 
ally call  a Port  Quolla : And  ’tis  ufual  with  our 
Englifh  Seamen  in  thofe  Parts,  when  they  have 
been  at  a Landing-place,  to  fay  they  have  been 
at  the  Quolla,  calling  it  fo  in  imitation  of  the 


34 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Barcadero. 


The  A.’s  2d 
Voyage. 


Jamaica. 


Capt. 
Bucken- 
kam's 
hard  For- 
tune. 


Natives ; as  the  Portuguefe  call  their  ^ Landing- 
places,  Barcadero' s.  This  War  was  fome  hin- 
drance to  our  Trade  there ; and  we  were  forc’d  to 
ftay  about  4 Months  in  the  Road,  before  we 
could  get  in  our  Lading  of  Pepper : And  thence 
we  return’d  to  Bantam^  to  take  in  the  reft  of 
our  Lading.  While  I was  afhore  there,  the 
Ship  fail’d  for  England : So  I got  a Paffage  home 
in  another  Ship,  The  Bombay,  Capt.  White  Com- 
mander; who  being  Chief  Mate,  fucceeded 
Capt.  Bennet,  who  dy’d  in  the  Voyage. 

I arrived  in  England  again  in  the  Year  1679. 
and  after  about  a Months  ftay,  I entred  my  felf 
on  a Second  [3]  Voyage,  in  a Veffel  commanded 
by  Capt.  Buckenham,  bound  for  the  Weji-Indies. 
I was  there  alfo  in  the  Service  of  the  Surgeon  of 
the  Ship:  But  when  we  came  to  Jamaica,  the 
Seafon  of  Sugars  being  not  yet  come,  the  Cap- 
tain was  willing  to  make  a fhort  Voyage,  in  the 
mean  while,  to  the  Bay  of  Campeachy,  to  fetch 
Log- wood:  But  having  no  mind  to  go  further 
with  him,  I ftaid  in  Jamaica.  It  proved  well 
for  me  that  I did  fo ; for  in  that  Expedition,  the 
Captain  was  taken  by  the  Spaniards,  and  carried 
Prifoner  to  Mexico:  Where  one  Ruffel  faw  him, 
who  was  then  alfo  a Prifoner  there,  and  after 
made  his  Efcape.  He  told  me  he  faw  Capt. 
Buckenham,  with  a Log  chain’d  to  his  Leg,  and 
a Basket  at  his  Back,  crying  Bread  about  the 
Streets  for  a Baker  his  Mafter.  The  Spaniards 
would  never  content  to  the  Ranfoming  him,  tho’ 
he  was  a Gentleman  who  had  Friends  of  a con- 
fiderable  Fortune,  and  would  have  given  them 
a very  large  Sum  of  Mony. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


35 


I had  a Brother  in  Jamaica^  who  was  imployed 
under  Sir  Thomas  Muddiford,"^  in  his  Plantation 
at  the  Angels : [4]  And  my  chief  Inducement  in 
undertaking  this  Voyage  was  to  fee  him.  I 
flaid  fome  time  with  him,  and  he  fettled  me  in 
a Houfe  at  Port-Royal^  where  I followed  my 
Bufinefs  of  Surgery  for  fome  Months.  But  in 
a while  I met  with  Capt.  Cook^  and  Capt.  Linch^\ 
two  Privateers,  who  were  going  out  from  Port- 
Royaly  toward  the  Coaft  of  Cartagenay  and  took 
me  along  with  them.  We  met  other  Privateers 
on  that  Coaft ; but  being  parted  from  them  by 
ftrefs  of  Weather  about  Golden-Iflandy  in  the 
Samhalloe's,  we  flood  away  to  the  Bajiimentd Sy 
where  we  met  them  again,  and  feveral  others, 
who  had  been  at  the  taking  of  Portohely  and  were 
Rendefvouzed  there.  Here  I firft  met  with  Mr. 
Dampiery  and  was  with  him  in  the  Expedition 
into  the  S.  Seas,  For  in  fhort,  having  mufter’d 
up  dur  Forces  at  Golden- 1 Jlandy  and  landed  on 
the  Ifthmusy  we  march’d  over  Land,  and  took 
Santa  Marian  and  made  thofe  Excurfions  into 
the  S.  Seasy  which  Mr.  Ringrofe  relates  in  the 
4th  part  of  the  Hijiory  of  the  Buccaniers. 

*Sir  Thomas  Modyford  emigrated  in  1647,  to  Barbados 
where  he  was  appointed  governor  in  1660.  In  1664  he  was 
made  governor  of  Jamaica,  a post  which  he  held  until  1667, 
when  he  was  displaced  and  sent  home  under  arrest,  charged 
with  “ making  war  and  committing  depredations  and  acts  of 
hostility  upon  the  subjects  and  territories  of  the  king  of 
Spain  ” — in  other  words,  of  having  had  too  much  to  do  with 
the  buccaneers.  He  was  committed  to  the  Tower  for  a season, 
but  was  released  and,  in  1675,  probably  in  company  with 
Sir  Henry  Morgan,  returned  to  Jamaica,  where  he  died 
in  1679. 

t Probably  John  Cooke  and  Stephen  Lynch. 


The  Angels 
Plantation. 


Port-RoyaL 


Cartagena. 

Golden-L 

Bajli- 

mento's, 

Portobel, 

Mr.  Dam- 
pier. 

iphmus, 

Santa 

Maria. 

S.  Seas. 
Hift.  of 
the  Buc. 


Mr.  Dam- 
pier, 

Capt. 

Sharp, 

J/lhmus. 


The  A. 
left  in  the 
Ijihmus. 


His  Knee 
burnt.* 


} 

36  WAFER’S  DARIEN 

Mr.  D ampler  has  told,  in  his  Introduction  to  his 
Voyage  round  the  Worlds  [5]  in  what  manner  the 
Company  divided  with  reference  to  Capt.  Sharp, 
I was  of  Mr.  DampieV^  fide  in  that  Matter,  and 
of  the  number  of  thofe  who  chofe  rather  to 
return  in  Boats  to  the  Ijihmus,  and  go  back 
again  a toilfom  Journey  over  Land,  than  ftay 
under  a Captain  in  whom  we  experienc’d  neither 
Courage  nor  Condudt.  He  hath  given  alfo  an 
Account  of  what  befel  us  in  that  Return,  till 
fuch  time  as  by  the  Carlefnefs  of  our  Com- 
pany, my  Knee  was  fo  fcorch’d  with  Gun- 
powder, that  after  a few  Days  further  March,  I 
was  left  behind  among  the  Wild-Indians,  in  the 
Ijihmus  of  Darien, 

It  was  the  5 th  Day  of  our  Journey  when  this 
Accident  befel  me ; being  alfo  the  5th  of  May, 
in  the  Year  1681.  I was  fitting  on  the  Ground 
near  one  of  our  Men,  who  was  drying  of  Gun- 
powder in  a Silver  Plate : But  not  managing  it 
as  he  fhould,  it  blew  up,  and  fcorch’d  my  Knee 
to  that  degree,  that  the  Bone  was  left  bare,  the 
Flefh  being  torn  away,  and  my  Thigh  burnt  for 
a great  way  above  it.  I applied  to  it  immedi- 
ately fuch  Remedies  as  I had  in  my  Knapfack : 
And  being  unwilling  to  be  left  behind  my  [6] 
Companions,  I made  hard  fhift  to  jog  on,  and 

*Dampier,  p.  15,  says:  “ Our  Chyrurgeon,  Mr  Wafer,  came 
to  a sad  disaster  here:  being  drying  his  Powder,  a careless 
fellow  passed  by  with  his  Pipe  lighted,  and  set  fire  to  his 
Powder,  which  blew  up  and  scorch’d  his  Knee;  and  reduced 
him  to  that  condition  that  he  was  not  able  to  march ; where- 
fore we  allowed  him  a Slave  to  carry  his  things,  being  all  of 
us  the  more  concerned  at  the  accident,  because  lyable  our 
selves  every  moment  to  misfortune,  and  none  to  look  after  us 
but  him.” 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


37 


bear  them  Company  for  a few  Days;  during 
which  our  Slaves  ran  away  from  us,  and  among 
them  a Negro  whom  the  Company  had  allow’d 
me  for  my  particular  Attendant,  to  carry  my 
Medicines.*  He  took  them  away  with  him, 
together  with  the  reft  of  my  Things,  and 
thereby  left  me  depriv’d  of  wherewithal  to 
drefs  my  Sore ; infomuch  that  my  Pain  increaf- 
ing  upon  me,  and  being  not  able  to  trudge  it 
further  through  Rivers  and  Woods,  I took  leave 
of  my  Company,  and  fet  up  my  Reft  among  the 
Darien  Indians. 

This  was  on  the  loth  Day;  and  there  Raid  R.  Gob/on. 
with  me  Mr.  Richard  Gopfon,  who  had  ferved  an 
Apprenticefhip  to  a Druggift  in  London.  He 
was  an  ingenious  Man,  and  a good  Scholar;  and 
had  with  him  a Greek  Teflament  which  he  fre- 
quently read,  and  would  tranflate  extempore  into 
EngHfh  to  fuch  of  the  Company  as  were  dif- 
pos’d  to  hear  him.  Another  who  Raid  behind 
with  me  was  John  Hingfon,  Mariner:  They  J.  Hing/on, 
were  both  fo  fatigued  with  the  Journey,  that 
they  could  go  no  further.  There  had  been  an 
Or-[7]der  made  among  us  at  our  firR  Landing, 
to  kill  any  who  fhould  flag  in  the  Journey:  But 
this  was  made  only  to  terrify  any  from  loiter- 
ing, and  being  taken  by  the  Spaniards ; who  by 

*Dampier,  p.  i6,  says  that,  during  the  night  following  the 
seventh  day,  “ these  hardships  and  inconveniences  made  us 
all  careless,  and  there  was  no  Watch  kept,  (tho  I believe  no 
body  did  sleep:)  So  our  Slaves  taking  this  opportunity,  went 
away  in  the  night ; all  but  one,  who  was  hid  in  some  hole, 
and  knev7  nothing  of  their  design,  or  else  fell  asleep.  Those 
that  went  away  carried  with  them  our  Chyrurgeons  Gun  and 
all  his  Money.” 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


The  Indians 
cure  the  A. 


Tortures  might  extort  from  them  a Difcovery 
of  our  March.*  But  this  rigorous  Order  was 
not  executed;  but  the  Company  took  a very 
kind  Leave  both  of  thefe,  and  of  me.  Before 
this  we  had  loft  the  Company  of  two  more  of 
our  Men,  Robert  Spratlin  and  William  Bowman^ 
who  parted  with  us  at  the  River  Congo,  the  Day 
after  my  being  fcorch’d  with  Gun-powder.  The 
Paffage  of  that  River  was  very  deep,  and  the 
Stream  violent;  by  which  means  I was  born 
down  the  Current,  for  feveral  Paces,  to  an  Eddy 
in  the  bending  of  the  River.  Yet  I got  over; 
but  thefe  two  being  the  hindmoft,  and  feeing 
with  what  difficulty  I crofs'd  the  River,  which 
was  ftill  rifmg,  they  were  difcourag’d  from 
attempting  it,  and  chofe  rather  to  ftay  where 
they  were.  Thefe  two  came  to  me;  and  the 
other  two  foon  after  the  Company’s  departure 
for  the  North-Sea,  as  I fhall  have  occafion  to 
mention ; fo  that  there  were  five  of  [8]  us  in  all 
who  were  left  behind  among  the  Indians. 

Being  now  forc’d  to  ftay  among  them,  and 
having  no  means  to  alleviate  the  Anguifh  of  my 
Wound,  the  Indians  undertook  to  cure  me;  and 
apply’d  to  my  Knee  fome  Herbs,  which  they 
firft  chew’d  in  their  Mouths  to  the  confiftency 
of  a Pafte,  and  putting  it  on  a Plantain-Leaf, 

*Dampier  explains,  p.  2,  that,  before  they  separated  from 
Sharp,  ‘ ‘ because  there  were  some  designed  to  go  with  us  that 
we  knew  were  not  well  able  to  march,  we  gave  out,  that  if 
any  man  faultred  in  the  Journey  over  Land  he  must  expect 
to  be  shot  to  death ; for  we  knew  that  the  Spaniards  would 
soon  be  after  us,  and  one  man  falling  into  their  hands  might 
be  the  ruin  of  us  all,  by  giving  an  account  of  our  strength  and 
condition:  yet  this  would  not  deter  ’em  from  going  with  us.” 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


39 


laid  it  upon  the  Sore.  This  prov’d  fo  efifedtual, 
that  in  about  20  Days  ufe  of  this  Poultefs, 
which  they  applied  frefh  every  Day,  I was  per- 
fectly cured;  except  only  a Weaknefs  in  that 
Knee,  which  remain’d  long  after,  and  a Benum- 
mednefs  which  I fometimes  find  in  it  to  this 
Day.  Yet  they  were  not  altogether  fo  kind  in 
other  refpedts;  for  fome  of  them  look’d  on  us 
very  fcurvily,  throwing  green  Plantains  to  us, 
as  we  fat  cringing  and  fhivering,  as  you  would 
Bones  to  a Dog.  This  was  but  forry  Food ; yet 
we  were  forc’d  to  be  contented  with  it:  But  to 
mend  our  Commons,  the  young  Indian^  at  whofe  A kind 
Houfe  we  were  left,  would  often  give  us  fome 
ripe  Plantains,  unknown  to  his  Neighbours; 
and  thefe  were  a great  Re-[9]frefhment  to  us. 

This  Indiauy  in  his  Childhood,  was  taken  a Prif- 
oner  by  the  Spaniards',  and  having  liv’d  fome 
time  among  them,  he  had  learn ’d  a pretty  deal 
of  their  Language,  under  the  Bifhop  of  Panama, 
whom  he  ferv’d  there;  till  finding  means  to 
efcape,  he  was  got  again  among  his  own  Coun- 
try-men. This  was  of  good  ufe  to  us;  for  we 
having  a fmattering  of  Spanifh,  and  a little  of 
the  Indians  Tongue  alfo,  by  paffing  their 
Country  before,  between  both  thefe,  and 
with  the  additional  ufe  of  Signs,  we  found 
it  no  very  difficult  Matter  to  underftand  one 
another.  He  was  truly  generous  and  hofpitable 
toward  us ; and  fo  careful  of  us,  that  if  in  the 
Day-time  we  had  no  other  Provifion  than  a few 
forry  green  Plantains,  he  would  rife  in  the 
Night,  and  go  out  by  ftealth  to  the  Neighbour- 
ing Plantain -walk,  and  fetch  a Bundle  of  ripe 


40 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


ones  from  thence,  which  he  would  diftribnte 
among  us  unknown  to  his  Country-men.  Not 
that  they  were  naturally  inclin’d  to  ufe  us  thus 
roughly,  for  they  are  generally  a kind  and  free- 
hearted People;  but  they  had  taken  fome  par- 
ticular Offence,  upon  [lo]  the  account  of  our 
Friends  who  left  us,  who  had  in  a manner  awed 
the  Indian  Guides  they  took  with  them  for  the 
remainder  of  their  Journey,  and  made  them  go 
with  them  very  much  againft  their  Wills;  * the 
Severity  of  the  Rainy  Seafon  being  then  fo 
great,  that  even  the  Indians  themfelves  had  no 
mind  for  Travelling,  tho’  they  are  little  curious 
either  as  to  the  Weather  or  Ways. 

When  Gopfon^  Hingfon^  and  I had  lived  3 or 
R.  Spratlm,  4 Days  in  this  manner,  the  other  two,  Spratlin 
W.  Bow-  and  Bowman,  whom  we  left  behind  at  the  River 
Congo,  on  the  6th  Day  of  our  Journey,  found 
their  way  to  us;  being  exceedingly  fatigued 
with  rambling  fo  long  among  the  wild  Woods 
and  Rivers  without  Guides,  and  having  no  other 
Suffcenance  but  a few  Plantains  they  found  here 
and  there.  They  told  us  of  George  Gainj/'s 

*Dampier,  p.  19,  says  that  the  party  found  two  young 
Indians  at  this  place  who  could  speak  a little  Spanish,  and 
who  offered  to  act  as  guides,  provided  the  white  men  would 
wait  until  the  second  day  before  starting.  “ But  we  thought 
our  selves  nearer  the  North  Sea  than  we  were,  and  proposed 
to  go  without  a Guide,  rather  than  stay  here  a whole 
day:  . . . The  tenth  [i.e.,  the  next]  day  we  got  up 

betimes,  resolving  to  march,  but  the  Indians  opposed  it  as 
much  as  they  could,  but  seeing  they  could  not  perswade  us  to 
stay,  they  came  with  us.  ’ ' The  Indians  were  probably  anxious 
to  secure  the  hatchets  with,  which  the  Englishmen  usually 
rewarded  their  guides,  but  they  were  evidently  provoked  by 
the  haste  of  the  white  men,  which  no  doubt  interfered  with 
their  plans  for  this  day. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


41 


Difafler,  whofe  Drowning  Mr.  Dumpier  relates 
p.  17.*  They  faw  him  lie  dead  on  the  Shore 
which  the  Floods  were  gone  off  from,  with  the 
Rope  twifted  about  him,  and  his  Mony  at  his 
Neck;  but  they  were  fo  fatigued,  they  car’d  not 
to  meddle  with  it.  Thefe,  after  their  coming 
[ii]  up  to  us,  continued  with  us  for  about  a 
Fortnight  longer,  at  the  fame  Plantation  where 
the  main  Body  of  our  Company  had  left  us ; and 
our  Provihon  was  ftill  at  the  fame  Rate,  and  the 
Countenances  of  the  Indians  as  ftern  towards  us 
as  ever,  having  yet  no  News  of  their  Friends 
whom  our  Men  had  taken  as  their  Guides.  Yet 
notwithffanding  their  Difguft,  they  ftill  took 
care  of  my  Wound;  which  by  this  time  was 
pretty  well  healed,  and  I was  enabled  to  walk 
about.  But  at  length  not  finding  their  Men 
return  as  they  expected,  they  were  out  of 
Patience,  and  feem’d  refolved  to  revenge  on  us 
the  Injuries  which  they  fuppos’d  our  Friends 
had  done  to  theirs.  To  this  end  they  held  fre- 
quent Confultations  how  they  fhould  difpofe  of 
us : Some  were  for  killing  us,  others  for  keeping 

* Dampier  says  that,  the  river  being  much  swollen,  ‘ ‘ at 
length  we  concluded  to  send  one  man  over  with  a Line,  who 
should  hale  over  all  our  things  first,  and  then  get  the  men 
over.  . . . George  Gayny  took  the  end  of  a Line  and 

made  it  fast  about  his  neck,  and  left  the  other  end  ashore,  and 
one  man  stood  by  the  Line,  to  clear  it  away  to  him.  But 
when  Gayny  was  in  the  midst  of  the  water,  the  Line  in  draw- 
ing after  him  chanced  to  kink,  or  grow  entangled ; and  he  that 
stood  by  to  clear  it  away,  stopt  the  Line,  which  turned  Gayny 
on  his  back,  and  he  that  had  the  Line  in  his  hand  threw  it  all 
into  the  River  after  him,  thinking  he  might  recover  himself; 
but  the  stream,  running  very  swift,  and  the  man  having  three 
hundred  Dollars  at  his  back,  was  carried  down,  and  never  seen 
more  by  us.  ’ ’ 


G.  Gazny’s 
drowning. 


A Confult 
to  deftroy 
the  A.  and 
his  Com- 
panions. 


42 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Prepara- 
tions to 
kill  them. 


Lacenta 
faves  them ; 


and  fends 
them  away. 


US  among  them,  and  others  for  carrying  us  to 
the  Spaniards^  thereby  to  ingratiate  themfelves 
with  them.  But  the  greatefl  part  of  them  mor- 
tally hating  the  Spaniards ^ this  laft  Projedt  was 
foon  laid  alide ; and  they  came  to  this  Refolu- 
tion,  To  forbear  doing  any  thing  to  us,  till  fo 
much  Time  were  expir’d  as  [12]  they  thought 
might  reafonably  be  allow’d  for  the  return  of 
their  Friends,  whom  our  Men  had  taken  with 
them  as  Guides  to  the  North  Sea-Coafl;  and 
this,  as  they  computed,  would  be  10  Days,  reck- 
oning it  up  to  us  on  their  Fingers. 

The  Time  was  now  almoft  expir’d,  and  having 
no  News  of  the  Guides,  the  Indians  began  to 
fufpedt  that  our  Men  had  either  murder’d  them, 
or  carried  them  away  with  them;  and  feem’d 
refolv’d  thereupon  to  deftroy  us.  To  this  end 
they  prepared  a great  Pile  of  Wood  to  burn  us, 
on  the  loth  Day;  and  told  us  what  we  muft  truft 
to  when  the  Sun  went  down ; for  they  would 
not  execute  us  till  then. 

But  it  fo  hapned  that  Lacenta,  their  Chief, 
paffing  that  way,  diffuaded  them  from  that 
Cruelty,  and  propofed  to  them  to  fend  us  down 
towards  the  North-hde,  and  two  Indians  with 
us,  who  might  inform  themfelves  from  the 
Indians  near  the  Coaft,  what  was  become  of  the 
Guides.  They  readily  hearken’d  to  this  Pro- 
pofal,  and  immediately  chofe  two  Men  to  condudt 
us  to  the  North-fide.  One  [13]  of  thefe  had 
been  all  along  an  inveterate  Enemy  to  us ; but 
the  other  was  that  kind  Indian,  who  was  fo  much 
our  Friend,  as  to  rife  in  the  Night  and  get  us 
ripe  Plantains. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


43 


The  next  Day  therefore  we  were  difmifTed  Bad 
with  our  two  Guides,  and  marched  Joyfully  for  Travelling. 
3 Days;  being  well  affur’d  we  fhould  not  find 
that  our  Men  had  done  any  hurt  to  their  Guides. 

The  firft  three  Days  we  march’d  thro’  nothing 
but  Swamps,  having  great  Rains,  with  much 
Thunder  and  Lightning;  and  lodg’d  every 
Night  under  the  dropping  Trees,  upon  the  cold 
Ground.  The  third  Night  we  lodg’d  on  a fmall 
Hill,  which  by  the  next  Morning  was  become  an 
Ifland : For  thofe  great  Rains  had  made  fuch  a 
Flood,  that  all  the  low  Land  about  it  was  cover’d 
deep  with  Water.  All  this  while  we  had  no 
Provifion,  except  a handful  of  dry  Maiz  our 
Indian  Guides  gave  us  the  firft  two  Days:  But 
this  being  fpent,  they  return’d  home  again,  and 
left  us  to  fhift  for  our  f elves. 

At  this  Hill  we  remained  the  fourth  Day; 
and  on  the  fifth  the  Waters  being  abated,  we 
fet  forward,  [14]  fleering  North  by  a Pocket 
Compafs,*  and  marched  till  6 a Clock  at  Night: 

At  which  time,  we  arrived  at  a River  about  40 
foot  wide,  and  very  deep.f  Here  we  found  a 
Tree  fallen  crofs  the  River,  and  fo  we  believed 
our  Men  had  pafl  that  way ; J therefore  here  we 

* When  the  main  body  started  off  from  the  village  where 
Wafer  remained,  Dampier,  p.  19,  says  that  “ we  often  look’d 
on  onr  Pocket  Compasses,  and  shewed  them  to  the  Guides, 
pointing  at  the  way  that  we  wou’d  go,  which  made  them  shake 
their  heads,  and  say,  they  were  pretty  things,  but  not  conve- 
nient for  us.”  Any  one  who  has  tried  to  follow  a compass-line 
through  broken  country  will  appreciate  the  feelings  of  the 
guides  who  knew  the  easier  route  following  the  lay  of  the  land. 

tCanaza  River. — V.  R. 

t Dampier,  p.’20,  says  that,  on  the  fourth  day  after  leaving 
Wafer  at  the  Indian  settlement,  the  guides  ” carry’d  us  to  a 


44 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


They  are 
bewilder’d. 


Bowman 
like  to  be 
drown’d. 


fat  down,  and  confulted  what  conrfe  we  fhonld 
take. 

And  having  debated  the  Matter,  it  was  con- 
cluded upon  to  crofs  the  River,  and  feek  the 
Path  in  which  they  had  travelled : For  this  River 
running  fomewhat  Northward  in  this  place,  we 
perfwaded  our  felves  we  were  paft  the  main 
Ridge  of  Land  that  divided  the  North  part  of 
the  IJihmus  from  the  South;  and  confequently 
that  we  were  not  very  far  from  the  North  Sea. 
Belides,  we  did  not  confider  that  the  great  Rains 
were  the  only  caufe  of  the  fudden  rifing  and 
falling  of  the  River ; but  thought  the  Tide 
might  contribute  to  it,  and  that  we  were  not 
very  far  from  the  Sea.  We  went  therefore  over 
the  River  by  the  help  of  the  Tree : But  the  Rain 
had  made  it  fo  flippery,  that  'twas  with  great 
difficulty  that  we  could  get  over  it  aftride,  for 
there  was  no  [15]  walking  on  it:  And  tho’  four 
of  us  got  pretty  well  over,  yet  Bowman^  who  was 
the  laffc,  nipt  off,  and  the  Stream  hurried  him 
out  of  fight  in  a moment,  fo  that  we  concluded 
he  was  Drown’d.  To  add  to  our  Afflidlion  for 
the  lofs  of  our  Confort,  we  fought  about  for  a 
Path,  but  found  none ; for  the  late  Flood  had 
fill’d  all  the  Land  with  Mud  and  Oaze,  and 
therefore  fince  we  could  not  find  a Path,  we 
returned  again,  and  paffed  over  the  River  on 
the  fame  Tree  by  which  we  crofs’ d it  at  firft; 
intending  to  pafs  down  by  the  fide  of  this  River, 

Tree  that  stood  on  the  Bank  of  the  River,  and  told  us  if  we 
could  fell  that  Tree  cross  it,  we  might  pass ; if  not,  we  could 
pass  no  further.  Therefore  we  set  two  of  the  best  Ax-men 
that  we  had,  who  fell’d  it  exactly  cross  the  River,  and  the 
boughs  just  reached  over;  on  this  we  passed  very  safe.” 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


45 


which  we  ftill  thought  difcharged  it  felf  into 
the  North  Sea.  But  when  we  were  over,  and 
had  gone  down  with  the  Stream  a quarter  of  a 
Mile,  we  efpy’d  our  Companion  fitting  on  the 
Bank  of  the  River ; who,  when  we  came  to  him, 
told  us,  that  the  violence  of  the  Stream  hurry’ d 
him  thither,  and  that  there  being  in  an  Eddy, 
he  had  time  to  confider  where  he  was ; and  that 
by  the  help  of  fome  Boughs  that  hung  in  the 
Water,  he  had  got  out.  This  Man  had  at  this 
time  400  pieces  of  Eight  at  his  Back : He  was  a 
weakly  Man,  a Taylor  by  Trade. 

[16]  Here  we  lay  all  Night;  and  the  next 
Day,  being  the  5 th  of  our  prefent  Journey,  we 
march’d  further  down  by  the  fide  of  the  River, 
thro’  thickets  of  hollow  Bamboes  and  Brambles, 
being  alfo  very  weak  for  want  of  Food:  But 
Providence  fuffer’d  us  not  to  Perifh,  tho’  Hun- 
ger and  Wearinefs  had  brought  us  even  to 
Death’s  door:  For  we  found  there  a Maccaw 
Tree,  which  afforded  us  Berries,  of  which  we 
eat  greedily;  and  having  therewith  fomewhat 
fatisfied  our  Hunger,  we  carried  a Bundle  of 
them  away  with  us,  and  continued  our  March 
till  Night. 

The  next  Day  being  the  6th,  we  marched  till 
4 in  the  Afternoon,  when  we  arrived  at  another 
River,  which  join’d  with  that  we  had  hitherto 
coafted;  and  we  were  now  inclos’d  between 
them,  on  a little  Hill  at  the  Conflux  of  them. 
This  laft  River  was  as  wide  and  deep  as  the 
former ; fo  that  here  we  were  put  to  a Non-plusy 
not  being  able  to  find  means  to  Ford  either  of 
them,  and  they  being  here  too  wide  for  a Tree 


Great 

Hardfhips. 


Maccaw- 

berries. 


They  are 
befet  with 
Rivers. 


46 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


They 
miftake 
their  way. 


Violent 

Rains. 


Great 

Floods. 


to  go  acrofs,  unlefs  a greater  Tree  than  we  were 
able  to  cut  down;  having  no  Tool  [17]  with  us 
but  a Macheat  or  long  Knife.  This  laft  River 
alfo  we  fet  by  the  Compafs,  and  found  it  run 
due  North : Which  confirmed  us  in  our  Miftake, 
that  we  were  on  the  North  fide  of  the  main 
Ridge  of  Mountains;  and  therefore  we  refolv’d 
upon  making  two  Bark-logs,*  to  float  us  down 
the  River,  which  we  unanimoufly  concluded 
would  bring  us  to  the  North  Sea  Coaft.  The 
Woods  afforded  us  hollow  Bamboes  fit  for  our 
purpofe ; and  we  cut  them  into  proper  lengths, 
and  tied  them  together  with  Twigs  of  a Shrub 
like  a Vine,  a great  many  on  the  top  of  one 
another. 

By  that  time  we  had  finifhed  our  Bark-logs  it 
was  Night,  and  we  took  up  our  Lodging  on  a 
fmall  Hill,  where  we  gathered  about  a Cart-load 
of  Wood,  and  made  a Fire,  intending  to  fet  out 
with  our  Bark-logs  the  next  Morning.  But  not 
long  after  Sun-fet,  it  fell  a Raining  as  if  Heaven 
and  Earth  would  meet ; which  Storm  was  accom- 
panied with  horrid  Claps  of  Thunder,  and  fuch 
flafhes  of  Lightning,  of  a Sulpherous  fmell,  that 
we  were  almofl  ftified  in  the  open  Air. 

[18]  Thus  it  continued  till  12  a Clock  at  Night; 
when  to  our  great  Terror,  we  could  hear  the 
Rivers  roaring  on  both  fides  us;  but  'twas  fo 
dark,  that  we  could  fee  nothing  but  the  Fire  we 

* This  was  the  ordinary  name  in  the  South  Sea  for  any  sort 
of  a raft.  They  were  very  common,  and  of  all  sizes,  from  the 
two-logs  on  which  the  fisherman  paddled  about,  sitting  astride 
in  the  water,  to  the  large  double-deck  craft  which  carried 
cargoes  of  grain  and  wine  from  the  ports  of  Chile  and  Peru 
to  Panama,  sailing^before  the  steady  northerly  winds. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


47 


had  made,  except  when  a flafh  of  Lightning 
came.  Then  we  could  fee  all  over  the  Hill,  and 
perceive  the  Water  approaching  us;  which  in 
lefs  than  half  an  hour  carried  away  our  Fire. 
This  drove  us  all  to  our  fhifts,  every  Man  feek- 
ing  fome  means  to  fave  himfelf  from  the  threat- 
ning  Deluge.  We  alfo  fought  for  fmall  Trees 
to  climb:  For  the  place  abounded  with  great 
Cotton  Trees,  of  a prodigious  bignefs  from  the 
Root  upward,  and  at  leaffc  40  or  50  foot  clear 
without  Branches,  fo  that  there  was  no  climbing 
up  them. 

For  my  own  part,  I was  in  a great  Conflerna- 
tion,  and  running  to  fave  my  Life,  I very  oppor- 
tunely met  with  a large  Cotton  Tree,  which  by 
fome  accident,  or  thro’  Age,  was  become  rotten, 
and  hollow  on  one  fide ; having  a hole  in  it  at 
about  the  height  of  4 foot  from  the  ground.  I 
immediately  got  up  into  it  as  well  as  I could : 
And  in  the  Cavity  I found  [19]  a knob,  which 
ferved  me  for  a Stool ; and  there  I fat  down 
almoft  Head  and  Heels  together,  not  having 
room  enough  to  ftand  or  fit  upright.  In  this 
Condition  I fat  wifhing  for  Day:  But  being 
fatigued  with  Travel,  though  very  hungry 
withal,  and  cold,  I fell  afleep:  But  was  foon 
awakned  by  the  noife  of  great  Trees  which 
were  brought  down  by  the  Flood;  and  came 
with  fuch  force  againft  the  Tree,  that  they  made 
it  fhake. 

When  I awoke,  I found  my  Knees  in  the 
Water,  though  the  loweffc  part  of  my  hollow 
Trunk  was,  as  I faid,  4 foot  above  the  ground; 
and  the  Water  was  running  as  fwift,  as  if  ’twere 


The  A. 
climbs  a 
Tree. 


He  is  befet 
with  the 
Waters. 


48 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


The  Floods 
go  off. 


He  meets 
again  with 
his  Compan- 
ions. 


in  the  middle  of  the  River.  The  Night  was  flill 
very  dark,  but  only  when  the  flafhes  of  Light- 
ning came:  Which  made  it  fo  dreadful  and 
terrible,  that  I forgot  my  Hunger,  and  was 
wholly  taken  up  with  praying  to  God  to  fpare 
my  Life.  While  I was  Praying  and  Meditating 
thus  on  my  fad  Condition,  I faw  the  Morning 
Star  appear,  by  which  I knew  that  Day  was  at 
hand : This  cheared  my  drooping  Spirits,  and  in 
[20]  lefs  than  half  an  hour  the  Day  began  to 
dawn,  the  Rain  and  Lightning  ceas’d,  and  the 
Waters  abated,  infomuch  that  by  that  time  the 
Sun  was  up,  the  Water  was  gone  off  from  my 
Tree. 

Then  I ventured  out  of  my  cold  Lodging ; but 
being  fliff  and  the  Ground  flippery,  I could 
fcarce  ftand:  Yet  I made  a fhift  to  ramble  to 
the  Place  where  we  had  made  our  Fire,  but 
found  no  Body  there.  Then  I call’d  out  aloud, 
but  was  anfwer’d  only  with  my  own  Eccho; 
which  ftruck  fuch  Terror  into  me,  that  I fell 
down  as  dead,  being  opprefs’d  both  with  Grief 
and  Hunger ; this  being  the  7th  Day  of  our  Faft, 
fave  only  the  Maccaw-hQrriQS  before  related. 

Being  in  this  Condition,  defpairing  of  Comfort 
for  want  of  my  Conforts,  I lay  fome  time  on  the 
wet  Ground,  till  at  lafl  I heard  a Voice  hard  by 
me,  which  in  fome  fort  revived  me;  but  efpe- 
cially  when  I faw  it  was  Mr.  Hingforiy  one  of  my 
Companions,  and  the  reft  found  us  prefently 
after:  Having  all  fav’d  themf elves  by  climbing 
fmall  Trees.  We  greeted  each  o-[2i]ther  with 
Tears  in  our  Eyes,  and  returned  Thanks  to  God 
for  our  Deliverance. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


49 


The  firfl  thing  we  did  in  the  Morning  was  to 
look  after  our  Bark-logs  or  Rafts,  which  we  had 
left  tied  to  a Tree,  in  order  to  profecute  our 
Voyage  down  the  River;  but  coming  to  the 
Place  where  we  left  them,  we  found  them  funk 
and  full  of  Water,  which  had  got  into  the  hollow 
of  the  Bamboes,  contrary  to  our  Expedtation; 
for  we  thought  they  would  not  have  admitted 
fo  much  as  Air,  but  have  been  like  large  Blad- 
ders full  blown : But  it  feems  there  were  Cracks 
in  them  which  we  did  not  perceive,  and  perhaps 
made  in  them  by  our  Carelefnefs  in  working 
them;  for  the  Vellels  made  of  thefe  Hollow 
Bamboe'sy  are  wont  to  hold  Water  very  well. 

This  was  a new  Vexation  to  us,  and  how  to 
proceed  farther  we  knew  not;  but  Providence 
ftill  directed  all  for  the  better : For  if  we  had 
gone -down  this  River,  which  we  afterwards 
underftood  to  be  a River  that  runs  into  the 
River  of  Cheapo^  and  fo  towards  the  Bay  of 
Panama  and  the  South  Sea,  it  would  have  carried 
us  [22]  into  the  midffc  of  our  Enemies  the  Span- 
iardsy  from  whom  we  could  expedt  no  Mercy. 

The  Neighbourhopd  of  the  Mountains,  and 
fteepnefs  of  the  Defcent,  is  the  caufe  that  the 
Rivers  rife  thus  fuddenly  after  thefe  violent 
Rains ; but  for  the  fame  reaf on  they  as  fuddenly 
fall  again. 

But  to  return  to  my  Story,  being  thus  fruftrate 
of  our  Defign  of  going  down  the  Stream,  or  of 
croffing  either  of  thefe  Rivers,  by  reafon  of  the 
finking  of  our  Bark-logs,  we  were  glad  to  think 
of  returning  back  to  the  Indian  Settlement,  and 


In  danger 
of  going 
among  their 
Enemies. 


River  of 
Cheapo.* 


Now  called  the  Chepo,  or  Bayano. 


50 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


They  are 
forc’d  to 
return. 


They  are  in 
fear  of  the 
Indians. 


Coafted  up  the  River  lide  in  the  fame  Track  we 
came  down  by.  As  our  Hunger  was  ready  to 
carry  our  Eyes  to  any  Objedt  that  might  afford 
us  fome  Relief,  it  hapned  that  we  efpied  a Deer 
faff  afleep:  Which  we  dehgned  if  poffible  to 
get,  and  in  order  to  it  we  came  fo  very  near,  that 
we  might  almofl  have  thrown  our  felves  on  him : 
But  one  of  our  Men  putting  the  Muzle  of  his 
Gun  clofe  to  him,  and  the  Shot  not  being 
wadded,  tumbled  out,  juft  before  the  Gun  went 
off,  and  did  the  Deer  no  hurt ; but  ftarting  up 
t the  noife,  [23]  he  took  the  River  and  fwam 
over.  As  long  as  our  way  lay  by  the  River  fide, 
we  made  a fhift  to  keep  it  well  enough : But 
being  now  to  take  leave  of  the  River,  in  order 
to  feek  for  the  Indians  Habitation,  we  were  much 
at  a lofs.  This  was  the  Eighth  Day,  and  we 
had  no  Sufhinence  befide  the  Maccaw-'^^rr\QS>  we 
had  got,  and  the  Pith  of  a BMy-Tvee  we  met 
with,  which  we  fplit  and  eat  very  favourly. 

After  a little  Conhderation  what  courfe  to 
fleer  next,  we  concluded  it  bell  to  follow  the 
Track  of  a Pecary  or  Wild- Hog,  hoping  it  might 
bring  us  to  fome  old  Plantain  Walk  or  Potato 
Piece,  which  thefe  Creatures  often  refort  to,  to 
look  for  Food:  This  brought  us,  according  to 
our  Expedtation,  to  an  old  Plantation,  and  in 
fight  of  a new  one.  But  here  again  Fear  over- 
whelmed us,  being  between  two  flraits,  either 
to  flarve  or  venture  up  to  the  Houfes  of  the 
Indians,  whom  being  fo  near,  we  were  now 
afraid  of  again,  not  knowing  how  they  would 
receive  us.  But  fince  there  was  no  avoiding  it, 
it  was  concluded  that  one  fhould  go  up  to  the 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


51 


Houfe,  while  the  reft  ftaid  behind  to  [24]  fee 
the  Iffue.  In  conclnfion  I went  to  the  Planta- 
tion, and  it  proved  the  fame  that  we  came  from. 
The  Indians  were  all  amazed  to  fee  me,  and 
began  to  ask  many  Queftions : But  I prevented 
them  by  falling  into  a Swoon,  occafion’d  by  the 
heat  of  the  Houfe,  and  the  fcent  of  Meat  that 
was  boyling  over  the  Fire.  The  Indians  were 
very  officious  to  help  me  in  this  Extremity,  and 
when  I revived,  they  gave  me  a little  to  eat. 
Then  they  enquired  of  me  for  the  other  four 
Men,  for  whom  they  prefently  fent,  and  brought 
all  but  Gobfon,  who  was  left  a little  further  off, 
and  treated  us  all  very  kindly : For  our  long 
expedted  Guides  were  now  returned  from  the 
North  fide,  and  gave  large  Commendations  of 
the  kindnefs  and  generofity  of  our  Men;  by 
whichr  means  all  the  Indians  were  become  now 
again  our  very  good  Friends.*  The  Indian,  who 
was  fo  particularly  kind  to  us,  preceiving  Mr. 
Gohfon  was  not  yet  arrived  at  the  Plantation, 
carried  out  Vidtuals  to  him,  and  after  he  was  a 
little  refrefh’d  with  that,  brought  him  up  to  us. 
So  that  now  we  were  all  together  again,  and  had 
a great  deal  of  care  taken  of  us. 

[25]  Here  we  flayed  feven  Days  to  refrefh  our 


*Dampier,  p.  23,  says  that,  when  the  main  party  went 
aboard  the  French  privateer,  “ the  first  thing  we  did  was  to 
get  such  things  as  we  could  to  gratifie  our  Indian  Guides,  for 
we  were  resolved  to  reward  them  to  their  hearts  content.  This 
we  did  by  giving  them  Beads,  Knives,  Scissars,  and  Looking- 
glasses,  which  we  bought  of  the  Privateers  Crew ; and  half  a 
Dollar  a man  from  each  of  us ; which  we  would  have  bestowed 
in  goods  also,  but'  could  not  get  any,  the  Privateer  having  no 
more  toys.  ’ ’ 


The  Indians 
receive  them 
kindly. 


52 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


They  fet 
out  again. 


Lacenta's 

Palace. 

Large  Cot- 
ton Trees. 


felves,  and  then  took  our  March  again : For  we 
were  delirous  to  get  to  the  North  Seas  as  foon 
as  we  could,  and  they  were  now  more  willing  to 
guide  us  than  ever  before ; fmce  the  Guides  our 
Party  took  with  them,  had  not  only  been  dif- 
mifs’d  civilly,  but  with  Prefents  alfo  of  Axes, 
Beads,  &c.  The  Indians  therefore  of  the  Village 
where  we  now  were,  order’d  four  lufly  young 
Men  to  condudt  us  down  again  to  the  River, 
over  which  the  Tree  was  fallen,  who  going  now 
with  a good  will,  carried  us  thither  in  one  Day; 
whereas  we  were  three  Days  the  firft  time  in 
going  thither.  When  we  came  thither,  we 
marched  about  a Mile  up  the  River,  where  lay 
a Canoa,  into  which  we  all  Imbarked,  and  the 
Indians  guided  us  up  the  fame  River  which  we 
before,  thro’  miftake,  had  ftrove  to  go  down. 
The  Indians  padled  floutly  againft  the  Stream 
till  Night,  and  then  we  Lodged  at  a Houfe, 
where  thefe  Men  gave  fuch  large  Commenda- 
tions of  our  Men,  who  were  gone  to  the  North 
Sea,  that  the  Mafler  of  the  Houfe  treated  [26] 
us  after  the  beft  manner.  The  next  Day  we  fet 
out  again,  with  two  Indians  more,  who  made  fix 
in  all,  to  Row  or  Paddle  us;  and  our  Condition 
now  was  well  altered. 

In  fix  Days  time  after  this,  they  brought  us 
to  Lacentas  Houfe,  who  had  before  faved  our 
Lives. 

This  Houfe  is  fituated  on  a fine  little  tiill,  on 
which  grows  the  flateliefl  Grove  of  Cotton  Trees 
that  ever  I faw.  The  Bodies  of  thefe  Trees 
were  generally  fix  foot  in  Diameter,  nay,  fome 
eight,  nine,  ten,  eleven;  for  four  Indians  and 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


53 


my  felf  took  hand  in  hand  round  a Tree,  and 
could  not  fathom  it  by  three  foot.  Here  was 
like  wife  a ffcately  Plantain  Walk,  and  a Grove  of 
other  fmall  Trees,  that  would  make  a pleafant 
artificial  Wildernefs,  if  Induffcry  and  Art  were 
beftowed  on  it. 

The  Circumference  of  this  pleafant  little 
Hill,  contains  at  leaft  lOO  Acres  of  Land;  and 
is  a Peninfula  of  an  Oval  form,  almoft  fur- 
rounded  with  two  great  Rivers,  one  coming 
from  the  Eaft,  the  other  from  the  Weft;*  which 
approaching  within  40  foot  of  each  other,  at  the 
front  of  the  Penin-[27]fula,  feparate  again, 
embracing  the  Hill,  and  meet  on  the  other  fide, 
making  there  one  pretty  large  River,  which 
runs  very  fwift.  There  is  therefore  but  one 
way  to  come  in  toward  this  Seat;  which,  as  I 
before  obferved,  is  not  above  40  foot  wide, 
between  the  Rivers  on  each  fide : and  ’tis  fenced 
with  hollow  Bamboes,  Popes-heads  and  Prickle- 
pears,  fo  thick  fet  from  one  fide  the  Neck  of 
Land  to  the  other,  that  ’tis  impoffible  for  an 
Enemy  to  approach  it. 

On  this  Hill  live  Fifty  Principal  Men  of  the 
Country,  all  under  Lacenta's  Command,  who  is 
as  a Prince  over  all  the  South  part  of  the  IJihmus 
of  Darien  \ the  Indians  both  there  and  on  the 
North  fide  alfo,  paying  him  great  refpedt:  but 
the  South  fide  is  his  Country,  and  this  Hill  his 
Seat  or  Palace.  There  is  only  one  Canoa  belong- 
ing to  it,  which  ferves  to  ferry  over  Lacenta  and 
the  reft  of  them. 

* Perhaps  at  the  junction  of  the  Sdbalo  with  the  Cafiaza.  The 
Mandingas  tribe  had  its  headquarters  in  this  region. — V.  R. 


54 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Lacenta 
keeps  them 
with  him. 


The  Indians 
way  of 
letting 
Blood. 


The  A. 
bleeds 
Lacenta's 
Queen. 


When  we  were  arrived  at  this  Place,  Lacenta 
difcharged  our  Guides,  and  fent  them  back 
again,  telling  us,  That  ’twas  not  poffible  for  us 
to  Travel  to  the  North  fide  at  this  Seafon;  for 
the  Rainy  Seafon  was  now  in  [28]  its  height, 
and  Travelling  very  bad ; but  told  us  we  fhould 
flay  with  him,  and  he  would  take  care  of  us: 
And  we  were  forc’d  to  comply  with  him. 

We  had  not  been  long  here  before  an  Occur- 
rence happen’d,  which  tended  much  to  the 
increaling  the  good  Opinion  Lacenta  and  his 
People  had  conceiv’d  of  us,  and  brought  me 
into  particular  Efteem  with  them. 

It  fo  happen’d,  that  one  of  Lacenta'^  Wives 
being  indifpofed,  was  to  be  let  Blood;  which 
the  Indians  perform  in  this  manner : The  Patient 
is  feated  on  a Stone  in  the  River,  and  one  with 
a fmall  Bow  fhoots  little  Arrows  into  the  naked 
Body  of  the  Patient,  up  and  down;  fhooting 
them  as  faft  as  he  can,  and  not  miffing  any  part. 
But  the  Arrows  are  gaged,  fo  that  they  pene- 
trate no  farther  than  we  generally  thrufl  our 
Lancets:  And  if  by  chance  they  hit  a Vein 
which  is  full  of  Wind,  and  the  Blood  fpurts  out  a 
little,  they  will  leap  and  skip  about,  fhewing 
many  Antick  Geftures,  by  way  of  rejoycing 
and  triumph. 

[29]  I was  by  while  this  was  performing  on 
Lacenta  s Lady:  And  perceiving  their  Igno- 
rance, told  Lacentay  That  if  he  pleafed,  I would 
fhew  him  a better  way,  without  putting  the 
Patient  to  fo  much  Torment.  Let  me  fee,  fays 
he ; and  at  his  Command,  I bound  up  her  Arm 
with  a piece  of  Bark,  and  with  my  Lancet 


,u;.j 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


55 


breathed  a Vein:  But  this  rafh  attempt  had  like 
to  have  coffc  me  my  Life.  For  Lacenta  feeing 
the  Blood  iffue  out  in  a Stream,  which  us’d  to 
come  only  drop  by  drop,  got  hold  of  his  Lance, 
and  fwore  by  his  Tooth,  that  if  fhe  did  other- 
wife  than  well,  he  would  have  my  Heart’s  Blood. 
I was  not  moved,  but  defired  him  to  be  patient, 
and  I drew  off  about  12  Ounces,  and  bound  up 
her  Arm,  and  defired  fhe  might  reft  till  the  next 
Day:  By  which  means  the  Fever  abated,  and 
fhe  had  not  another  Fit.  This  gained  me  fo 
much  Reputation,  that  Lacenta  came  to  me,  and 
before  all  his  Attendants,  bowed,  and  kifs’d  my 
Hand.  Then  the  reft  came  thick  about  me,  and 
fome-  kiffed  my  Hand,  others  my  Knee,  and 
fome  my  Foot : After  which  I was  taken  up  into 
a Ham-[3o]mock,  and  carried  on  Men’s  Shoul- 
ders, Lacenta  himfelf  making  a Speech  in  my 
Praife,  and  commending  me  as  much  Superiour 
to  any  of  their  Dodtors.  Thus  I was  carried 
from  Plantation  to  Plantation,  and  lived  in  great 
Splendor  and  Repute,  adminiftring  both  Phyfick 
and  Phlebotomy  to  thofe  that  wanted.  For  tho’ 
I loft  my  Salves  and  Plaifters,  when  the  Negro 
ran  away  with  my  Knapfack,  yet  I preferv’d  a 
Box  of  Inftruments,  and  a few  Medicaments 
wrapt  up  in  an  Oil  Cloth,  by  having  them  in 
my  Pocket,  where  I generally  carried  them. 

I lived  thus  fome  Months  among  the  Indians, 
who  in  a manner  ador’d  me.  Some  of  thefe 
Indians  had  been  Slaves  to  the  Spaniards,  and 
had  made  their  Ef capes;  which  I fuppofe  was 
the  caufe  of  their  expre fling  a defire  of  Baptifm : 
but  more  to  have  a European  Name  given  them. 


The  A. 
much  re- 
puted for 
this. 


66 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


He  goes  on 
Hunting 
with 
Lacenta. 


Gold  River. 


The  way  of 

gathering 

Gold. 


than  for  any  thing  they  know  of  Chriftianity. 

During  my  abode  with  Lacenta,  I often  accom- 
panied him  a Hunting,  wherein  he  took  great 
delight,  here  being  good  Game.  I was  one 
time,  about  the  beginning  of  the  dry  Seafon, 
[31]  accompanying  him  toward  the  South-Eaft 
part  of  the  Country,  and  we  pafs’d  by  a River 
where  the  Spaniards  were  gathering  Gold.*  I 
took  this  River  to  be  one  of  thofe  which  comes 
from  the  South-Eaft,  and  runs  into  the  Gulph 
of  St.  Michael,  When  we  came  near  the  Place 
where  they  wrought,  we  ft  ole  foftly  through  the 
Woods,  and  placing  our  f elves  behind  the  great 
Trees,  looked  on  them  a good  while,  they  not 
feeing  us.  The  manner  of  their  getting  Gold 
it  is  as  follows.  They  have  little  Wooden 
Difhes,  which  they  dip  foftly  into  the  Water, 
and  take  it  up  half  full  of  Sand,  which  they 
draw  gently  out  of  the  Water;  and  at  every 
dipping  they  take  up  Gold  mix’d  with  the  Sand 
and  Water,  more  or  lefs.  This  they  fhake  and 
the  Sand  rifeth,  and  goes  over  the  Brims  of  the 
Difh  with  the  Water;  but  the  Gold  fettles  to 
the  bottom.  This  done,  they  bring  it  out  and 
dry  it  in  the  Sun,  and  then  pound  it  in  a Mor- 
tar. Then  they  take  it  out  and  fpread  it  on 
Paper,  and  having  a Load-ftone  they  move  that 
over  it,  which  draws  all  the  Iron,  &c,  from  it, 
and  then  leaves  the  Gold  [32]  clean  from  Ore  or 
Filth;  and  this  they  bottle  up  in  Gourds  or 
Calabafhes.  In  this  manner  they  work  during 
the  dry  Seafon,  which  is  three  Months;  for  in 

* The  Balsas  or  one  of  the  other  southern  tributaries  to  the 
Rio  Santa  Maria. — V.  R. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


67 


the  wet  time  the  Gold  is  wafhed  from  the  Moun- 
tains by  violent  Rains,  and  then  commonly  the 
Rivers  are  very  deep ; but  now  in  the  gathering 
Seafon,  when  they  are  fallen  again,  they  are 
not  above  a Foot  deep.  Having  fpent  the  dry 
Seafon  in  gathering,  they  imbark  in  fmall 
VelTels  for  Santa  Maria  Town ; and  if  they  meet 
with  good  Succefs  and  a favourable  Time,  they 
carry  with  them,  by  Report,  (for  I learnt  thefe 
Particulars  of  a Spaniard  whom  we  took  at  Santa 
Maria  under  Captain  Sharp)  i8  or  20  thoufand 
Pound  weight  of  Gold : But  whether  they  gather 
more  or  lefs,  Tis  incredible  to  report  the  flore 
of  Gold  which  is  yearly  wafh’d  down  out  of 
thefe  Rivers. 

During  thefe  Progreffes  I made  with  Lacenta^ 
my  four  Companions  Raid  behind  at  his  Seat ; 
but  I had  by  this  time  fo  far  ingratiated  my  felf 
with  Lacenta^  that  he  would  never  go  any  where 
without  me,  and  I plainly  [33]  perceiv’d  he 
intended  to  keep  me  in  this  Country  all  the  days 
of  my  Life ; which  raifed  fome  anxious  Thoughts 
in  me,  but  I conceal’d  them  as  well  as  I could. 

Purfuing  our  Sport  one  Day,  it  hapned  we 
ftarted  a Pecary^  which  held  the  Indians  and 
their  Dogs  in  play  the  greatefl  part  of  the  Day ; 
till  Lacenta  was  almoft  fpent  for  want  of  Vidtu- 
als,  and  was  fo  troubled  at  his  ill  Succefs,  that 
he  impatiently  wifhed  for  fome  better  way  of 
managing  this  fort  of  Game. 

I now  underftood  their  Language  indifferent 
well,  and  finding  what  troubled  him,  I took  this 
opportunity  to’  attempt  the  getting  my  Liberty 
to  depart,  by  commending  to  him  our  Englifh 


Santa 

Maria. 


The  Gold 
carried  to 
Santa 
Maria. 


The  A. 
moves  for 
Leave  to 
depart ; 


58 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


and  ’tis 
granted. 


He  returns 
towards 
Lacenta's 
Houfe ; 


and  arrives 
there. 


Dogs,  and  making  an  Offer  of  bringing  him  a 
few  of  them  from  England,  if  he  would  fuffer 
me  to  go  thither  for  a fhort  time.  He  demurr’d 
at  this  Motion  a while ; but  at  length  he  fwore 
by  his  Tooth,  laying  his  Fingers  on  it.  That  I 
fhould  have  my  Liberty,  and  for  my  Sake  the 
other  four  with  me ; provided  I would  promife 
and  fwear  by  my  Tooth,  That  I would  return 
and  marry  among  [34]  them ; for  he  had  made 
me  a Promife  of  his  Daughter  in  Marriage,  but 
fhe  was  not  then  marriageable.  I accepted  of 
the  Conditions : And  he  further  promifed,  that 
at  my  return  he  would  do  for  me  beyond  my 
Expedtation. 

I returned  him  Thanks,  and  was  the  next  Day 
difmiffed  under  the  Convoy  of  feven  lufby  Fel- 
lows; and  we  had  four  Women  to  carry  our 
Provihon,  and  my  Cloaths,  which  were  only  a 
Linnen  Frock  and  pair  of  Breeches.  Thefe  I 
faved  to  cover  my  Nakednefs,  if  ever  I fhould 
come  among  Chrifhians  again ; for  at  this  time  I 
went  naked  as  the  Salvages,  and  was  painted  by 
their  Women;  but  I would  not  fuffer  them  to 
prick  my  Skin,  to  rub  the  Paint  in,  as  they  ufe 
to  do,  but  only  to  lay  it  on  in  little  Specks. 

Thus  we  departed  from  the  Neighbourhood  of 
the  South  Seas,  where  Lacenta  was  Hunting,  to 
his  Seat  or  Palace,  where  I arrived  in  about  15 
Days,  to  the  great  Joy  of  my  Contorts;  who  had 
ftaid  there,  during  this  Hunting  Expedition  I 
made  with  Lacenta  to  the  South-Eaft. 

[35]  After  many  Salutations  on  both  fides,  and 
fome  joyful  Tears,  I told  them  how  I got  my 
Liberty  of  Lacenta,  and  what  I promifed  at  my 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


59 


return : And  they  were  very  glad  at  the  hopes 
of  getting  away,  after  fo  long  a flay  in  a Savage 
Country. 

I flayed  here  fome  few  Days  till  I was 
refrefhed,  and  then  with  my  Companions, 
marched  away  for  the  North  Seas;  having  a 
ftrong  Convoy  of  armed  Indians  for  our  Guides. 

We  travelled  over  many  very  high  Mountains ; 
at  lafl  we  came  to  one  far  furpaffing  the  reft  in 
height,  to  which  we  were  four  Days  gradually 
afcending,  tho’  now  and  then  with  fome  Defcent 
between  whiles.  Being  on  the  top,  I perceived 
a ftrange  Giddinefs  in  my  Head ; and  enquiring 
both  of  my  Companions,  and  the  Indians,  they 
all  affured  me  they  were  in  the  like  Condition ; 
which  1 can  only  impute  to  the  height  of  the 
Mountains,  and  the  clearnefs  of  the  Air.  I take 
this  part  of  the  Mountains  to  have  been  higher 
than  either  that  which  we  crofs’d  with  Captain 
Sharp,  or  that  which  Mr.  Dampier  and  the  reft 
of  our  Party  crofs’d  in  their  [36]  return:  For 
from  this  Eminence,  the  tops  of  the  Mountains 
over  which  we  paffed  before,  feem’d  very  much 
below  us,  and  fometimes  we  could  not  fee  them 
for  the  Clouds  between ; but  when  the  Clouds 
flew  over  the  tops  of  the  Hill,  they  would  break, 
and  then  we  could  difcern  them,  looking  as  it 
were  thro’  fo  many  Loop-holes. 

I defired  two  Men  to  lie  on  my  Legs,  while  I 
laid  my  Head  over  that  fide  of  the  Mountain 
which  was  moft  perpendicular;  but  could  fee 
no  Ground  for  the  Clouds  that  were  between. 
The  Indians  carried  us  over  a Ridge  fo  narrow 
that  we  were  forced  to  ftraddle  over  on  our 


He  and  the 
reft  fet  out 
again  for  the 
N.  Sea. 

The  main 
Ridge  of 
Hills. 


60 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Indian 

Settlements. 


They  come 
to  the 
Sea-iide. 


Indians  in 
their  Gowns. 


The  Indians 
fall  to 
Conjuring. 


Britches;  and  the  Indians  took  the  fame  Care  of 
themfelves,  handing  their  Bows,  Arrows,  and 
Luggage,  from  one  to  another.  As  we 
defcended,  we  were  all  cured  of  our  Giddinefs. 

When  we  came  to  the  foot  of  the  Mountain 
we  found  a River  that  ran  into  the  North  Seas, 
and  near  the  fide  of  it  were  a few  Indian  Houfes, 
which  afforded  us  indifferent  good  Entertain- 
ment. Here  we  lay  one  Night,  it  being  the  firfl 
Houfe  I had  feen  for  [37]  fix  Days;  my 
Lodging,  by  the  way,  being  in  a Hammock  made 
faff  to  two  Trees,  and  my  Covering  a Plantain- 
Leaf. 

The  next  Morning  we  fet  forward,  and  in  two 
Days  time  arrived  at  the  Sea-fide,  and  were  met 
by  40  of  the  beft  fort  of  Indians  in  the  Country 
who  congratuled  our  coming,  and  welcom’d  us 
to  their  Houfes.  They  were  all  in  their  fineft 
Robes,  which  are  long  white  Gowns,  reaching 
to  their  Ancles,  with  Fringes  at  the  bottom,  and 
in  their  Hands  they  had  Half  Pikes.  But  of 
thefe  Things,  and  fuch  other  Particulars  as  I 
obferv’d  during  my  Abode  in  this  Country,  I 
fhall  fay  more  when  I come  to  defcribe  it. 

We  prefen tly  enquired  of  thefe  Indians y when 
they  expedted  any  Ships?  They  told  us  they 
knew  not,  but  would  enquire;  and  therefore 
they  fent  for  one  of  their  Conjurers,  who  imme- 
diately went  to  work  to  raife  the  Devil,  to 
enquire  of  him  at  what  time  a Ship  would  arrive 
here;  for  they  are  very  expert  and  skilful  in 
their  fort  of  Diabolical  Conjurations.  We  were 
in  the  Houfe  with  them,  and  they  [38]  firft 
began  to  work  with  making  a Partition  with 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


61 


Hammocks,  that  the  Pawawers^  for  fo  they  call  Pawaw- 
thefe  Conjurers,  might  be  by  themfelves. 

They  continued  fome  time  at  their  Exercife, 
and  we  could  hear  them  make  moft  hideous 
Yellings  and  Shrieks;  imitating  the  Voices  of 
all  their  kind  of  Birds  and  Bealls.  With  their 
own  Noife,  they  join’d  that  of  feveral  Stones 
flruck  together,  and  of  Conch-fhells,  and  of  a 
forry  fort  of  Drums  made  of  hollow  Bamboes, 
which  they  beat  upon;  making  a jarring  Noife 
alfo  with  Strings  fatten’d  to  the  larger  Bones  of 
Bealls:  And  every  now  and  then  they  would 
make  a dreadful  Exclamation,  and  clattering  all 
of  a fudden,  would  as  fuddenly  make  a Paufe 
and  a profound  Silence.  But  finding  that  after 
a conliderable  Time  no  Anfwer  was  made  them, 
they  concluded  that  ’twas  becaufe  we  were  in 
the  Houfe,  and  fo  turn’d  us  out,  and  went  to 
Work  again.  But  ftill  finding  no  return,  after 
an  Hour  or  more,  they  made  a new  Search  in 


*In  the  preface  to  the  second  edition,  Wafer  took  “ this 
Opportunity  of  vindicating  my  self  to  the  World,  concerning 
some  Circumstances  in  the  Relation  I have  given  of  the  Indian 
way  of  Conjuring  (called  by  them  Pawawing)  and  of  the 
White  Indians  [p.  134]  ; at  which  several  of  the  most  eminent 
Men  of  the  Nation  seem’d  very  much  startled.  . . . Mr. 

Davis  ....  desired  me,  in  a late  Conference  I had  with 
him,  to  acquaint  the  World,  that  if  the  said  Relation  had  not 
been  printed  off  before  I talk’d  with  him  about  it,  he  would 
himself  have  given  a large  Account  of  it ; declaring.  That  the 
Pawawing  of  the  Indians  that  follow’d  Don  Pedro  in  that 
Expedition  was  the  principal  Reason  that  induc’d  some  of  the 
English,  who  were  more  Superstitious  than  others,  to  leave 
the  Mines  much  sooner  than  they  at  first  intended  to  have 
done;  because  the  Uneasiness  in  which  the  Indians  then 
seemed  to  be,  made  them  likewise  apprehensive  of  some  ex- 
traordinary Danger  from  the  Spaniards.” 


62 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


The  Anfwer 
made  to  the 
Conjuring. 


2 Ships 
arriv’d. 


our  Apartment ; and  finding  fome  of  our  Cloaths 
hanging  up  in  a Basket  againft  the  Wall,  they 
threw  them  out  of  Doors  in  great  [39]  Difdain. 
Then  they  fell  once  more  to  their  Pawawing; 
and  after  a little  time,  they  came  out  with  their 
Anfwer,  but  all  in  a Muck-fweat ; fo  that  they 
firfl  went  down  to  the  River  and  wafh’d  them- 
felves,  and  then  came  and  deliver’d  the  Oracle 
to  us,  which  was  to  this  Effedl:  That  the  loth 
Day  from  that  time  there  would  arrive  two 
Ships;  and  that  in  the  Morning  of  the  loth 
Day  we  fhould  hear  firft  one  Gun,  and  fome- 
time  after  that  another : That  one  of  us  fhould 
die  foon  after ; and  that  going  aboard  we  fhould 
lofe  one  of  our  Guns : All  which  fell  out  exac5tly 
according  to  the  Predidtion. 

For  on  the  loth  Day  in  the  Morning  we  heard 
the  Guns,  firfl  one,  and  then  another,  in  that 
manner  that  was  told  us;  and  one  of  our  Guns 
or  Fufees  was  lofl  in  going  aboard  the  Ships : 
For  we  five,  and  three  of  the  Indians  went  off  to 
the  Ships  in  a Canoa\  but  as  we  crofs’d  the  Bar 
of  the  River,  it  overfet;  where  Mr.  Gopfon^  one 
of  my  Conforts,  was  like  to  be  drowned;  and 
tho’  we  recover’d  him  out  of  the  Water,  yet  he 
loft  his  Gun  according  to  the  Predidtion.  [40]  I 
know  not  how  this  happen’d  as  to  his  Gun;  but 
ours  were  all  lafh’d  down  to  the  fide  of  the 
Canoa : And  in  the  Welt-Indies  we  never  go  into 
a Canoa,  which  a little  matter  overfets,  but  we 
make  faft  our  Guns  to  the  Sides  or  Seats : And 
I fuppofe  Mr.  Gopfon,  who  was  a very  careful 
and  fenfible  Man,  had  lafh’d  down  his  alfo,  tho’ 
not  faft  enough. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


63 


Being  overfet,  and  our  Canoa  turn’d  up-lide 
down,  we  got  to  Shore  as  well  as  we  could,  and 
drag’d  Mr.  Gopfon  with  us,  tho’  with  difficulty. 

Then  we  put  off  again,  and  kept  more  along  the 

Shore,  and  at  length  flood  over  to  La  Sounds  They  go  ofie 

Key,  where  the  two  Ships  lay,  an  Englifh  Sloop,  Ships. 

and  a Spanifh  Tartan,  which  the  Englifh  had 

taken  but  two  or  three  Days  before.  We  knew 

by  the  make  of  this  lafl  that  it  was  a Spanifh 

Veffel,  before  we  came  up  with  it:  But  feeing 

it  in  Company  with  an  Englifh  one,  we  thought 

they  muft  be  Contorts ; and  whether  the  Spanifh 

Veffel  fhould  prove  to  be  under  the  Englifh  one, 

or  the  Englifh  under  that,  we  were  refolv’d  to 

put  it  .to  the  venture,  and  get  aboard,  being 

quite  tir’d  with  our  [41]' flay  among  the  wild 

Indians^  The  Indians  were  more  afraid  of  its 

being  a Veffel  of  Spaniards,  their  Enemies  as 

well  as  ours : For  this  was  another  Particular 

they  told  us  10  Days  before,  when  they  were 

Pawawing,  that  when  their  Oracle  inform’d 

them  that  two  Veffels  would  arrive  at  this  time, 

they  underflood  by  their  Daemons  Anfwer  that 

one  of  them  would  be  an  Englifh  one ; but  as  to 

the  other,  he  fpake  fo  dubioufly,  that  they  were 

much  afraid  it  would  be  a Spanifh  one,  and  ’twas 

not  without  great  difficulty  that  we  now  per- 

fuaded  them  to  go  aboard  with  us : Which  was 

another  remarkable  Circumflance ; fince  this 

Veffel  was  not  only  a Spanifh  one,  but  adlually 

under  the  Command  of  the  Spaniards  at  the 

time  of  the  Pawawing,  and  fome  Days  after,  till 

taken  by  the  Englifh,"^ 

* Dampier,  who  should  have  known,  states  on  p.  30  that  this 


64 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


They  and 
the  Indians 
receiv’d 
aboard. 


The  A. 
wafhes  off 
his  Paint. 


We  went  aboard  the  Englifh  Sloop,  and  our 
Indian  Friends  with  ns,  and  were  received  with 
a very  hearty  welcome.  The  four  Englifh  Men 
with  me  were  prefently  known  and  carefs’d  by 
the  Ships  Crew ; but  I fat  a while  cringing  upon 
my  Hams  among  the  Indians^  after  their  Fafhi- 
[42]on,  painted  as  they  were,  and  all  naked  but 
only  about  the  Waiffc,  and  with  my  Nof e-piece 
(of  which  more  hereafter)  hanging  over  my 
Mouth.  I was  willing  to  try  if  they  would  know 
me  in  this  Difguife;  and  ’twas  the  better  part 
of  an  Hour  before  one  of  the  Crew,  looking 
more  narrowly  upon  me,  cry’d  out,  Here’s  our 
Dodtor ; and  immediately  they  all  congratulated 
my  Arrival  among  them.  I did  what  I could 
prefently  to  wafh  off  my  Paint,  but  ’twas  near  a 
Month  before  I could  get  tolerably  rid  of  it, 
having  had  my  Skin  fo  long  ftain’d  with  it,  and 


Spanish  tartan  was  captured  several  weeks  before  this,  by 
Captain  Wright,  who  gave  it  to  Dampier  and  those  who  came 
with  him,  not  long  after  they  rejoined  the  buccaneer  fleet  in 
the  Gulf.  Wright  left  them  to  go  in  search  of  provisions,  while 
the  tartan  and  her  crew,  “ cruising  in  among  these  Islands,  at 
length  we  came  again  to  La  Sound's  Key\  and  the  day  before 
having  met  with  a Jamaica  Sloop  that  was  come  over  on  the 
Coast  to  trade,  she  went  with  us.  It  was  in  the  evening  when 
we  came  to  an  Anchor,  and  the  next  morning  we  fir’d  two 
Guns  for  the  Indians  that  lived  on  the  Main  to  come  aboard ; 
for  by  this  time  we  concluded  we  should  hear  from  our  five 
men,  that  we  left  in  the  heart  of  the  Country  among  the 
Indians^  this  being  about  the  latter  end  of  A ugust,  and  it 
was  the  beginning  of  May  when  we  parted  from  them. 
According  to  our  expectation  the  Indians  came  aboard,  and 
brought  our  friends  with  them:  Mr  Wafer  wore  a Clout  about 
him,  and  was  painted  like  an  htdian ; and  he  was  some  time 
aboard  before  I knew  him.  One  of  them,  named  Richard 
Cobson,  dyed  within  3 or  4 days  after,  and  was  buried  in  La 
Sound's  Key.” — Dampier,  p.  40. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


65 


the  Pigment  dried  on  in  the  Sun : And  when  it 
did  come  off,  ’twas  ufually  with  the  peeling  off 
of  Skin  and  all.  As  for  Mr.  Gopforiy  tho’  we 
brought  him  alive  to  the  Ship,  yet  he  did  not 
recover  his  Fatigues,  and  his  drenching  in  the 
Water,  but  having  languifh’d  aboard  about 
three  Days,  he  died  there  at  La  Sound's  Key; 
and  his  Death  verified  another  part  of  the 
Pawawers  Predidtion.  Our  Indians,  having 
been  kindly  entertain’d  aboard  for  about  6 or  7 
Days;  and  many  others  of  them,  who  went  to 
and  fro  with  their  Wives  and  [43]  Children,  and 
Lacenta  among  the  reft,  vifiting  us  about  a Fort- 
night or  three  Weeks,  we  at  length  took  leave  of 
them,  except  2 or  3 of  them  who  would  needs 
go  with  us  to  Windward;  and  we  fet  Sail,  with 
the  Tartan  in  our  Company,  firft  to  the  more 
Eaftern  Ifles  of  the  Sambaloe  s,  and  then  towards 
the  Coaft  of  Cartagene, 

But  I fhal]  not  enter  into  the  Difcourfe  of  our 
Voyage  after  this,  Mr.  Dampier,  who  was  in  the 
fame  Veffel,  having  done  it  particularly.  It 
may  fuffice  juft  to  intimate.  That  I was  cruifing 
with  him  up  and  down  the  Weji-India  Coaft  and 
Iflands,  partly  under  Capt.  Wright,  and  partly 
under  Capt.  Yanky ; till  fuch  time  as  Capt.  Yanky 
left  Mr.  Dampier  and  the  reft  under  Capt.  Wright, 
at  the  Ifle  of  Salt  Tortuga,  as  Mr.  Dampier  relates 
in  the  3d  Chapter  of  his  Voyage  round  the  World, 
p.  58.  I went  then  away  with  Capt.  Yanky, 
firft  to  the  Ifle  of  A fh,  where  the  French  took 
us,  as  he  relates  occafionally,  Chap.  4.  p.  68. f 

* Also  known  as  “ Yankey  Duch,”  or  “ the  Dutchman.” 

t Dampier,  p.  68:  ” Cook  being  Quarter-master  under 


Mr.  Gopfon 
dies. 


The  Indians 

return 

afhore. 


They  fet 
Sail  towards 
Cartagene. 


The  A.'s 
Coafting 
about  the 
W.  Indies 
with  Mr. 
Dampier, 


and  with 
Capt. 
Yanky  y 
I.  of  Afh. 


66 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


as  alfo  their  turning  us  there  afhore ; our  being 
taken  in  by  Capt.  Trijiian,  another  French  Man ; 
his  carrying  us  [44]  with  him  almoffc  to  Petit - 

Captain  Yanky,  the  second  place  in  the  Ship,  according  to  the 
Law  of  Privateers,  laid  claim  to  a Ship  they  took  from  the 
Spaniards-,  and  such  of  Capt.  Yanky’s  Men  as  were  so  dis- 
posed, particularly  all  those  who  came  with  us  over  Land  went 
aboard  this  Prize  Ship  under  the  new  Capt.  Cook.  This  dis- 
tribution was  made  at  the  Isle  of  Vacca,  or  the  Isle  of  Ash, 
as  we  call  it ; and  here  they  parted  also  such  Goods  as  they  had 
taken.  But  Capt.  Cook  having  no  Con^ission,  as  Captain 
Yanky,  Captain  Tristian,  and  some  other  French  Command- 
ers had,  who  lay  then  at  that  Island,  and  they  grutching  the 
English  such  a Vessel,  they  all  joined  together,  plundered 
the  English  of  their  Ship,  Goods,  and  Arms,  and  turned  them 
ashoar.  Yet  Capt.  Tristian  took  in  about  8 or  10  of  these 
English,  and  carried  them  with  him  to  Petit-Guavers-.  of 
which  number  Captain  Cook  was  one,  and  Capt.  Davis 
another,  who  with  the  rest  found  means  to  seize  the  Ship  as 
she  lay  at  anchor  in  the  Road,  Capt.  Tristian  and  many  of 
his  Men  being  then  ashoar:  and  the  English  sending  ashoar 
such  French  Men  as  remained  in  the  Ship  and  were  mastered 
by  them,  though  superior  in  number,  stood  away  with  her 
immediately  for  the  Isle  of  Vacca,  before  any  notice  of  this 
surprize  could  reach  the  French  Governor  of  that  Isle;  so 
deceiving  him  also  by  a Stratagem,  they  got  on  board  the  rest 
of  their  Country-men,  who  had  been  left  on  that  Island ; and 
going  thence  they  took  a Ship  newly  come  from  France,  laden 
with  Wines.  They  also  took  a Ship  of  good  Force,  in  which 
they  resolved  to  embark  themselves,  and  make  a new  Expedi- 
tion into  the  South  Seas,  to  cruise  on  the  Coast  of  Chili  and 
Peru.  But  first  they  went  for  Virginia  with  their  Prizes; 
where  they  arrived  the  April  after  my  coming  thither.  The 
best  of  their  Prizes  carried  18  Guns:  this  they  fitted  up  there 
with  Sails,  and  everything  necessary  for  so  long  a Voyage; 
selling  the  Wines  they  had  taken  for  such  Provisions  as  they 
wanted.  My  self,  and  those  of  our  Fellow-travellers  over  the 
Isthmus  of  America,  who  came  with  me  to  Virginia  the  year 
before  this,  (most  of  which  had  since  made  a short  Voyage  to 
Carolina,  and  were  again  return’d  to  Virginia,)  resolved 
to  join  our  selves  to  these  new  Adventurers:  and  as  many 
more  engaged  in  the  same  design  as  made  our  whole  Crew 


WAFER^S  DARIEN 


67 


Guaves ;  *  * our  Men  feizing  the  Ship  when  he 
was  gone  afhore,  carrying  it  back  to  the  Ille  of 
A fh,  and  there  taking  in  the  reft  of  our  Crew : 
The  taking  the  French  Ship  with  Wines,  and  the 
other  in  which  Capt.  Cook^  who  was  then  of  our 
Crew,  went  afterwards  to  the  South  Seas,  after 
having  firft  been  at  Virginia : So  that  we 
arrived  in  Virginia  with  thefe  Prizes  about  8 or 
9 Months  after  Mr.  Dampier  came  thither.  I fet 
out  with  him  alfo  in  that  new  Expedition  to  the 
South  Seas  under  Capt.  Cook,  tho’  he  forgot  to 
mention  me  in  that  part  of  his  Voyages.  We 
went  round  Terra  del  Fuego,  and  fo  up  the  South- 
Sea  Coaft,  along  Chili,  Peru  and  Mexico,  as  he 
relates  at  large  in  his  4th,  5 th,  6th,  7th,  and  8th 
Chapters.  There,  p.  223,  he  tells  how  Capt. 
Davis,  who  had  fucceeded  Capt.  Cook  at  his 
Death,  broke  off  Confortfhip  with  Capt.  Swan, 
whom  we  had  met  with  in  the  South  Seas. 
That  himfelf  being  defirous  to  fband  over  to  the 
Eaji-Indies,  went  aboard  Capt.  Swan : But  I 
remain’d  aboard  the  fame  Ship,  now  under  Capt. 
Davis,  and  return’d  with  [45]  him  the  way  I 
came.  Some  few  Particulars  that  I obferv’d  in 
that  Return,  I fhall  fpeak  of  at  the  Conclufion 
of  this  Book : In  the  mean  while  having  given 
this  Summary  Account  of  the  Courfe  of  my 
Travels,  from  my  firft  parting  with  Mr.  Dampier 
in  the  IJihmus,  till  my  laft  leaving  him  in  the 

consist  of  about  70  Men.  So  having  furnish’d  our  selves  with 
necessary  Materials,  and  agreed  upon  some  particular 
Rules,  especially  of  Temperance  and  Sobriety,  by  reason  of 
the  length  of  our  intended  Voyage,  we  all  went  on  board 
our  Ship.” 

* A town  on  the  coast  west  of  Port  au  Prince  in  Haiti. 


His  Arrival 
in  Virginia. 

He  goes  into 
the  S.  Seas 
with  Mr. 
Dampier ; 


and  parts 
with  him 
there. 


This  Rela- 
tion difcon- 
tinued,  to 
defcribe  the 
Ijihmus. 


68 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


South  Seas,  I fhall  now  go  on  with  the  particular 
Defcription  of  the  IJihmus  of  America,  which  was 
the  main  Thing  I intended  in  publifhing  thefe 
Relations. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


69 


[46]  Mr.  Wafer’s  Defcription  of  the  Ifthmus 
of  America. 

The  Country  I am  going  to  defcribe  is  the 
narroweft  part  of  the  Ifthmus  of  America, 
which  is  more  peculiarly  call’d  the  Ifthmus 
of  Darien\  probably,  from  the  great  River  of 
that  Name,  wherewith  its  Northern  Coaft  is 
bounded  to  the  Eaft  :*  For  beyond  this  River  the 
Land  fpreads  fo  to  the  Eaft  and  North- Eaft,  as 
that  on  the  other  Coaft  does  to  the  South  and 
South- Eaft,  that  it  can  no  further  be  call’d  an 
Ifthmus.  It  is  moftly  comprehended  between 
the  Latitudes  of  8 and  10  N.  but  its  breadth,  in 
the  narroweft  part,  is  much  about  one  Degree. 
How  far  it  reaches  in  length  Weftward  under 
the  Name  of  the  Ifthmus  of  Darien ; whether  as 
far  as  Honduras,  or  Nicaragua,  or  no  further 
than  the  River  Chagre,  or  the  Towns  of  Portohel 
and  Panama,  I cannot  fay. 

[47]  This  laft  is  the  Boundary  of  what  I mean 
to  defcribe ; and  I fhall  be  moft  particular  as  to 
the  middle  part  even  of  this,  as  being  the  Scene 
of  my  Abode  and  Ramble  in  that  Country : Tho’ 

* The  Atrato  River,  which  empties  into  the  Gulf  of  Darien. 
According  to  local  usage,  the  name  Darien  River  belongs  more 
properly  to  the  Tuyra  or  Santa  Maria  River,  which  debouches 
on  the  opposite  coast.  This  identity  in  name  for  the  two 
rivers  has  led  to  some  curious  historical  blunders. — V.  R. 


Ijlhmus  of 
Darien. 


River  of 
Darien. 

Extent  of 
the  Ijihmus. 


Breadth. 


Length. 


70 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Bounds  of 
what  is 
ftridtly  the 
Ijlhmus. 


Its 

Situation. 


Iflands  on 
each  fide. 


Bay  of 
Panama. 


what  I fhall  have  occafion  to  fay  as  to  this  part 
of  the  IJihmus,  will  be  in  fome  meafure  applic- 
able to  the  Country  even  beyond  Panama. 

Were  I to  fix  particular  Limits  to  this  nar- 
roweft  part  of  the  American  IJihmus^  I would 
afiign  for  its  Weftern  Term,  a Line  which 
fhould  run  from  the  Mouth  of  the  River  Chagre, 
where  it  falls  into  the  North  Sea,  to  the  nearefl 
part  of  the  South  Sea,  Weft  ward  of  Panama  \ 
including  thereby  that  City,  and  Portobel,  with 
the  Rivers  of  Cheapo  and  Chagre.  And  I fhould 
draw  a Line  alfo  from  Point  Garachina^  or  the 
South  part  of  the  Gulph  of  St.  Michael,  diredtly 
Eafl,  to  the  neareft  part  of  the  great  River  of 
Darien,  for  the  Eaftern  Boundary,  fo  as  to  take 
Caret  Bay  into  the  I Jihmus,  On  the  North  and 
South  it  is  fufficiently  bounded  by  each  of  thofe 
vafh  Oceans:  And  confidering  that  this  is  the 
narroweft  Land  that  dif- [48] joins  them,  and 
how  exceeding  great  the  Compafs  is  that  muft 
be  fetch’d  from  one  Shore  to  the  other  by  Sea, 
fince  it  has  the  North  and  South  America  for 
each  Extreme,  ’tis  of  a very  fingular  Situation, 
very  pleafant  and  agreeable. 

Nor  doth  either  of  thefe  Oceans  fall  in  at  once 
upon  the  Shore,  but  is  intercepted  by  a great 
many  valuable  Iflands,  that  lie  fcatter’d  along 
each  Coafl:  The  Bajlimentd s and  others,  but 
efpecially  the  long  Range  of  the  Sambaloe' on 
the  North  fide;  and  the  Kings  or  Pearl  Iflands, 
Perica  and  others  in  the  Bay  of  Panama,  on  the 

*The  Mulatas,  consisting  of  neighboring  groups  of  small 
islands,  “ more  numerous  than  the  days  of  the  year,”  accord- 
ing to  a local  saying. — V.  R. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


71 


South-fide.  This  Bay  is  caus’d  by  the  bending 
of  the  IJlhmus  : And  for  the  bignefs  of  it,  there 
is  not,  it  may  be,  a more  pleafant  and  advanta- 
geous one  any  where  to  be  found. 

The  Land  of  this  Continent  is  almoft  every 
where  of  an  unequal  Surface,  difhinguifh’d  with 
Hills  and  Valleys,  of  great  variety  for  heigth, 
depth,  and  extent.  The  Valleys  are  generally 
water’d  with  Rivers,  Brooks,  and  Perennial 
Springs,  with  which  the  Country  very  much 
abounds.  They  fall  fome  into  the  North,  and 
[49]  others  into  the  South  Sea;  and  do  mofb  of 
them  take  their  Rife  from  a Ridge  or  Chain 
of  higher  Hills  than  the  reft,  running  the  length 
of  the  IJlhmus,  and  in  a manner  parallel  to  the 
Shore;  which  for  diftindlioh’s-fake,  I fhall  call 
the  Main  Ridge, 

This  Ridge  is  of  an  unequal  Breadth,  and 
trends  along  bending  as  the  IJlhmus  it  felf  doth. 
’Tis  in  moft  parts  neareft  the  Edge  of  the 
North  Sea,  feldom  above  10  or  15  Miles  diftant. 
We  had  always  a fair  and  clear  View  of  the 
North  Sea  from  thence,  and  the  various  makings 
of  the  Shore,  together  with  the  adjacent  Iflands, 
render’d  it  a very  agreeable  Profpedt;  but  the 
South  Sea  I could  not  fee  from  any  part  of  the 
Ridge.  Not  that  the  diftance  of  it  from  the 
South  Sea  is  fo  great,  as  that  the  Eye  could  not 
reach  fo  far,  efpecially  from  fuch  an  Eminence, 
were  the  Country  between  a Level  or  Cham- 
pian:  But  tho’  there  are  here  and  there  Plains 
and  Valleys  of  a confiderable  Extent,  and  fome 
open  Places,  yet  do  they  lie  intermix’d  with 
confiderable  Hills;  and  thofe  too  fo  cloath’d 


The  Face  of 
the  Land. 

Hills  and 
Vales. 

Waters. 


Main  Ridge 
of  Hills. 


Fine 

Profpecft. 


72 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Hills  to  the 
S.  of  the 
main  Ridge. 


N.  lide  all  a 
Forreft. 


Breaks  in 
the  main 
Ridge. 


R.  Chagre. 


with  tall  Woods,  that  they  [50]  much  hinder 
the  Profpedt  there  would  otherwife  be.  Neither 
on  the  other  fide  is  the  main  Ridge  difcern’d 
from  that  fide,  by  reafon  of  thofe  Hills  that  lie 
between  it  and  the  South  Sea;  upon  afcending 
each  of  which  in  our  Return  from  the  South  Sea, 
we  expedted  to  have  been  upon  the  main  Ridge, 
and  to  have  feen  the  North  Sea.  And  tho’  ftill 
the  further  we  went  that  way,  the  Hills  we 
crofs'd  feemed  the  larger;  yet,  by  this  means, 
we  were  lefs  fenfible  of  the  heigth  of  the  main 
Ridge,  than  if  we  had  climb’d  up  to  it  next  way 
out  of  a low  Country. 

On  the  North  fide  of  the  main  Ridge,  there 
are  either  no  Hills  at  all,  or  fuch  as  are  rather 
gentle  Declivities  or  gradual  Subfidings  of  the 
Ridge,  than  Hills  diftindt  from  it:  And  tho’ 
this  fide  of  the  Country  is  every  where  covered 
with  Woods,  and  more  uni verf ally  too,  for  it  is 
all  one  continued  Forreft,  yet  the  Eye  from 
that  heigth  commands  the  lefs  diftant  Northern 
Shore  with  much  Eafe  and  Pleafure. 

Nor  is  the  main  Ridge  it  felf  carried  on  every 
where  with  a continued  [51]  Top;  but  is  rather 
a Row  or  Chain  of  diftindt  Hills,  than  one  pro- 
longed : And  accordingly  hath  frequent  and  large 
Valleys  disjoining  the  feveral  Eminencies  that 
compofe  its  length:  And  thefe  Valleys,  as  they 
make  even  the  Ridge  it  felf  the  more  ufeful  and 
habitable,  fo  are  they  fome  of  them  fo  deep  in 
their  Defcent,  as  even  to  admit  a PalTage  for 
Rivers.  For  thus  the  River  Chagre^  which  rifes 
from  fome  Hills  near  the  South  Sea,  runs  along 
in  an  oblique  North  Wefterly  Courfe,  till  it 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


73 


finds  it  felf  a Paffage  into  the  North  Sea;  tho’ 
the  Chain  of  Hills,  if  I miftake  not,  is  extended 
much  farther  to  the  Weft,  even  to  the  Lake  of 
Nicaragua. 

The  Rivers  that  water  this  Country  are  fome 
of  them  indifferent  large;  tho’  but  few  Navig- 
able, as  having  Bars  and  Sholes  at  the  Mouths. 
On  the  North  Sea  Coaft  the  Rivers  are  for  the 
moft  part  very  f mall ; for  rifing  generally  from 
the  main  Ridge,  which  lies  near  that  Shore, 
their  Courfe  is  very  fhort.  The  River  of  Darien 
is  indeed  a very  large  one ; but  the  depth  at  the 
Entrance  is  not  anfwerable  to  the  widenefs  of 
its  [52]  Mouth,  tho’  ’tis  deep  enough  further  in: 
But  from  thence  to  Ckagre,  the  whole  length  of 
this  Coaft,  they  are  little  better  than  Brooks: 
Nor  is  the  River  of  Conception  any  other,  which 
comes  out  over  againft  La  Sound' s Key  in  the 
Sambaloe's.  The  River  of  Chagre  is  pretty  con- 
fiderable;  for  it  has  a long  bending  Coaft  [i.  e.. 
Course],  rifing  as  it  does  from  the  South  and 
Eaft-part  of  the  IJihmus,  and  at  fuch  a diftance 
from  its  Outlet.  But  in  general,  the  North 
Coaft  is  plentifully  water’d;  yet  is  it  chiefly 
with  Springs  and  Rivulets  trickling  down  from 
the  Neighbouring  Hills. 

The  Soil  on  this  North  Coafl  is  various;  gen- 
erally ’tis  good  Land,  rifing  in  Hills;  but  to  the 
Sea  there  are  here  and  there  Swamps,  yet  feldom 
above  half  a Mile  broad. 

Inclufively  from  Caret  Bay,  which  lies  in  the 
River  of  Darien,  and  is  the  only  Harbour  in  it, 
to  the  Promontory  near  Golden  IJland,  the  Shore 
of  the  IJihmus  is  indifferently  fruitful,  partly 


The  Rivers, 
Brooks  & 
Springs  of 
the  N.  Coaft. 


R.  of 
Darien. 


River  of 
Conception. 

R.  Chagre. 


The  Soil  by 
Caret  Bay. 


74 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


Bay  near  the 
Entrance  of 
the  R.  of 
Darien. 

I.  in  the  Cod 
[i.  e.,  inner- 
most part]  of 
the  Bay. 


Golden  I. 


Good 

Harbour. 


Sandy  Bay ; but  part  of  it  is  drowned,  fwampy, 
Mangrove  Land,  where  there  is  no  going  afhore 
but  up  to  the  middle  in  Mud.  The  Shore  of 
[53]  this  Coaffc  rifes  in  Hills  prefently;  and  the 
main  Ridge  is  about  5 or  6 Miles  diftant.  Caret 
Bay  hath  2 or  3 Rivulets  of  frefh  Water  falling 
into  it,  as  I am  inform’d,  for  I have  not  been 
there.  It  is  a little  Bay,  and  two  fmall  Iflands 
lying  before  it,  make  it  an  indifferent  good  Har- 
bour, and  hath  clear  Anchoring  Ground,  with- 
out any  Rocks.  Thefe  Iflands  are  pretty  high 
Land,  cloathed  with  variety  of  Trees. 

To  the  Weft  ward  of  the  Cape  at  the  Entrance 
of  the  River  Darien^  is  another  fine  Sandy  Bay. 
In  the  Cod  of  it  lies  a little,  low,  fwampy  Ifland ; 
about  which  ’tis  Shole-water  and  dirty  Ground, 
not  fit  for  Shipping;  and  the  Shore  of  the 
IJihmus  behind  and  about  it,  is  fwampy  Land 
over-grown  with  Mangroves;  till  after  three  or 
four  Mile  the  Land  afcends  up  to  the  main 
Ridge.  But  though  the  Cod  of  this  Bay  be  fo 
bad,  yet  the  Entrance  of  it  is  deep  Water,  and 
hard  fandy  bottom,  excellent  for  anchoring;  and 
has  three  Iflands  lying  before  it,  which  make  it 
an  extraordinary  good  Harbour.  The  Eaftermoft 
of  thofe  three  is  Golden  IJland,  [54]  a fmall  one, 
with  a fair  deep  Channel  between  it  and  the 
Main.  It  is  rocky  and  ffceep  all  round  to  the 
Sea,  (and  thereby  naturally  fortified)  except  only 
the  Landing-place,  which  is  a fmall  Sandy  Bay 
on  the  South  fide,  towards  the  Harbour,  from 
whence  it  gently  rifes.  It  is  moderately  high, 
and  cover’d  with  fmall  Trees  or  Shrubs.  The 
Land  of  the  IJihmus  oppofite  to  it,  to  the  South 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


75 


Eaft,  is  excellent  fruitful  Land,  of  a black  Mold, 
with  Sand  intermix’d ; and  is  pretty  level  for  4 
or  5 Mile,  till  you  come  to  the  foot  of  the  Hills. 

At  this  Place  we  landed  at  our  going  into  the 
South  Seas  with  Capt.  Sharp,  I have  been 
afhore  at  this  Golden  IJland^  and  was  lying  in  the 
Harbour  near  it  for  about  a Fortnight  together, 
before  I went  into  the  South  Seas.  Near  the 
Eaflern  Point  of  the  Bay,  which  is  not  above 
three  or  four  Furlongs  diflant  from  Golden  IJlandy 
there  is  a Rivulet  of  very  good  Water. 

Weft  of  Golden  IJland  lies  the  biggefl  of  the  Another 
three  that  face  the  Bay ; it  is,  as  a large  low  Inland, 
fwampy  Ifland,  fo  befet  with  Mongroves,  that  it 
is  difficult  to  go  afhore;  nor  did  any  of  us  [55] 
care  to  attempt  it,  having  no  bufinefs  in  fuch 
bad  Ground.  It  lies  very  near  a Point  of  the 
IJlhmus^  which  is  fuch  a fort  of  Ground  too,  for 
a Mile  or  two  further  Weft  ward;  and  fuch  alfo 
is  the  Ground  on  the  other  fide,  quite  into  the 
Cod  of  the  Bay.  This  Ifland  is  fcarce  parted 
from  the  IJihmus  but  at  High-water ; and  even 
then  Ships  cannot  pafs  between. 

The  Ifland  of  Pines  is  a fmall  Ifland  to  the  ifland  of 
North  of  the  other  two,  making  a kind  of  Tri- 
angle  with  them.  It  rifes  in  two  Hills,  and  is 
a very  remarkable  Land  off  at  Sea.  It  is  cover’d 
all  over  with  good  tall  Trees,  fit  for  any  ufe; 
and  has  a fine  Rivulet  of  frefh  Water.  The 
North  of  it  is  Rocky,  as  is  the  oppofite  Shore  of 
the  IJihmus.  On  the  South  fide  you  go  afhore 
on  the  Ifland  at  a curious  Sand-bay,  inclofed 
between  two  Points  like  a Half-moon ; and  there 
is  very  good  Riding.  You  may  fail  quite  round 


76 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


The  Shore 
to  Point 
Sanballas. 


Tickle  me 

quickly 

Harbour. 


Sambaloes 

Ifles. 


the  Ifland  of  Pines  \ but  to  go  to  Golden  IJland 
Harbour,  you  muft  enter  by  the  Eaft-end  of 
Golden  IJlandSy  between  that  and  the  Main ; for 
there  is  no  paffmg  between  it  and  the  great  low 
Ifland. 

[56]  From  thefe  Iflands,  and  the  low  fwampy 
Point  oppofite  to  them,  the  Shore  runs  North 
Wefterly  to  Point  Sanballas  \ and  for  the  firfl  3 
Leagues  ’tis  guarded  with  a Riffe  of  Rocks,  fome 
above,  and  fome  under  Water,  where  a Boat 
cannot  go  afhore:  The  Rocks  lie  fcatter’d  un- 
equally in  breadth,  for  a Mile  in  fome  Places, 
in  others  two  from  the  Shore.  At  the  North 
Weft  end  of  thefe  Rocks,  is  a fine  little  Sandy 
Bay,  with  good  anchoring  and  going  afhore,  as 
is  reported  by  feveral  Privateers : And  the  end 
of  the  Rocks  on  the  one  fide,  and  fome  of  the 
Sambaloes  Iflands  (the  Range  of  which  begins 
from  hence)  on  the  other  fide,  guard  it  from  the 
Sea,  and  make  it  a very  good  Harbour.  This, 
as  well  as  the  reft,  is  much  frequented  by  Priva- 
teers; and  is  by  thofe  of  our  Country  call’d 
Tickle  me  quickly  Harbour. 

All  along  from  hence  to  Point  Sanballas^  ly  the 
Samballoe' s Iflands,  a great  multitude  of  them 
fcattering  in  a Row,  and  collaterally  too,  at  very 
unequal  Diftances,  fome  of  one,  fome  two,  or 
two  Mile  and  an  half,  from  the  Shore,  and  from 
one  another;  [57]  which,  with  the  adjacent 
Shore,  its  Hills  and  perpetual  Woods,  make  a 
lovely  Landfchape  off  at  Sea.  There  are  a great 
many  more  of  thefe  Iflands  than  could  well  be 
reprefented  in  the  Map;  fome  of  them  alfo 
being  very  fmall.  They  feem  to  lie  parcel!’ d 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


77 


out  in  Cluflers,  as  it  were;  between  which, 
generally,  there  are  Navigable  Channels,  by 
which  you  may  enter  within  them ; and  the  Sea 
between  the  whole  Range  and  the  IJihmus  is 
Navigable  from  end  to  end,  and  affords  every 
where  good  anchoring,  in  hard  Sandy  Ground, 
and  good  Landing  on  the  Iflands  and  Main.  In 
this  long  Channel,  on  the  Infide  of  fome  or 
other  of  thofe  little  Keys  or  Iflands,  be  the 
Winds  how  they  will,  you  never  fail  of  a good 
Place  for  any  number  of  Ships  to  ride  at ; fo  that 
this  was  the  greatefl  Rendezvous  of  the  Priva- 
teers on  this  Coafl ; but  chiefly  La  Sound's  Key, 
or  Springer  ^ Key,  efpecially  if  they  flay’d  any 
time  here;  as  well  becaufe  thefe  two  Iflands 
afford  a good  Shelter  for  Careening,  as  becaufe 
they  yield  Wells  of  frefh  Water  upon  digging, 
which  few  of  the  reft  do.  The  Sambaloe's  [58] 
are  generally  low,  flat,  fandy  Iflands,  cover’d 
with  variety  of  Trees;  [efpecially  with  Mam- 
mees,  Sapadilloes,  and  Manchineel,  &c.  befide 
the  Shell-fifh,  and  other  Ref  ref  hments  they  afford 
the  Privateers].*  The  outermoft  Keys  toward 
the  main  Sea,  are  rocky  on  that  fide  (and  are 
called  the  Riffe  Keys) ; tho’  their  oppofite  Sides 
are  Sandy,  as  the  innermoft  Keys  or  Iflands  are. 
And  there  is  a Ridge  alfo  of  Rocks  lying  off  at 
Sea  on  the  outfide,  which  appear  above  Water 
at  fome  half  a Mile  difhance,  and  extend  in 
length  as  far  as  La  Sounds  Key,  if  not  further ; 
and  even  the  Sea  between,  and  the  Shore  of  the 
Sambaloes  it  felf  on  that  fide,  is  all  rocky. 

The  long  Channel  between  the  Sambaloes  and 


La  Sounds 
Key. 

Springer's 

Key. 


Trees  in  the 
Sambaloe's. 


. * Brackets  thus  in  original. 


78 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Channel 
of  the 
Sambaloes. 


R.  of  Con- 
ception and 
adjacent 
Coaft. 


Good 

Landing. 


Point 

Sanballas. 


the  IJihmus  is  of  two,  three,  and  four  Miles 
breadth ; and  the  Shore  of  the  IJihmus  is  partly 
Sandy  Bays,  and  partly  Mangrove  Land,  quite 
to  Point  Sanballas.  The  Mountains  are  much 
at  the  fame  diftance  of  6 or  7 Miles  from  the 
Shore ; but  about  the  River  of  Conception,  which 
comes  out  about  a Mile  or  two  to  the  Eaftward 
of  La  Sound' s Key,  the  main  Ridge  [59]  is  fome- 
what  further  difbant.  Many  little  Brooks  fall 
into  the  Sea  on  either  fide  of  that  River,  and 
the  Outlets  are  fome  of  them  into  the  Sandy 
Bay,  and  fome  of  them  among  the  Mangrove 
Land ; the  Swamps  of  which  Mangroves  are  (on 
this  Coaffc)  made  by  the  Salt  Water,  fo  that  the 
Brooks  which  come  out  there  are  brackifh ; but 
thofe  in  the  Sandy  Bay  yield  very  fweet  Water. 
None  of  thofe  Outlets,  not  the  River  of  Concep- 
tion it  felf,  are  deep  enough  to  admit  any  Veffel 
but  Canoas,  the  Rivers  on  this  part  of  the  Coaft 
being  numerous  but  fhallow ; but  the  fine  Riding 
in  the  Channel  makes  any  other  Harbour  need- 
lefs.  I have  been  up  and  down  moft  parts  of 
it,  and  upon  many  of  the  Iflands,  and  there  the 
going  afhore  is  always  eafy.  But  a Sea-wind 
makes  a great  Sea  fometimes  fall  in  upon  the 
IJihmus,  efpecially  where  a Channel  opens 
between  the  Iflands ; fo  that  I have  been  overfet 
in  a Canoa  going  afhore  in  one  River,  and  in 
putting  off  to  Sea  from  another.  The  Ground 
hereabouts  is  an  excellent  Soil  within  Land, 
rifing  up  gently  to  the  main  Ridge,  and  is  a 
continued  Foreft  of  ftately  Timber-Trees. 

[60]  Point  Sanballas  is  a Rocky  Point,  pretty 
long  and  low,  and  is  alfo  fo  guarded  with  Rocks 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


79 


for  a Mile  off  at  Sea,  that  it  is  dangerous  coming 
near  it.  From  hence  the  Shore  runs  Weft,  and 
a little  Northerly,  quite  to  Portobel.  About 
three  Leagues  Weftward  from  this  Point  lies 
Port  Scrivan,  The  Coaft  between  them  is  all 
Rocky,  and  the  Country  within  Land  all  Woody, 
as  in  other  Parts. 

Port  Scrivan  is  a good  Harbour,  when  you  are  Port 
got  into  it;  but  the  Entrance  of  it,  which  is 
fcarce  a Furlong  over,  is  fo  befct  with  Rocks  on 
each  fide,  but  efpecially  to  the  Eaft,  that  it  is 
very  dangerous  going  in : Nor  doth  there  feem 
to  be  a depth  of  Water  fufficient  to  admit  VefCels 
of  any  Bulk,  there  being  in  moft  Places  but 
eight  or  nine  Foot  Water.  ,The  Inlide  of  the 
Harbour  goes  pretty  deep  within  the  Land ; and 
as  there  is  good  Riding,  in  a Sandy  bottom, 
efpecially  at  the  Cod  of  it,  which  is  alfo  fruitful 
Land,  and  has  good  frefh  Water,  fo  there  is 
good  Landing  too  on  the  Eaft  and  South,  where 
the  Country  is  low  for  two  or  three  Miles,  and 
very  firm  Land;  but  the  Weft-fide  is  a Swamp 
[6i]  of  Red  Mangroves.  It  was  here  at  this  Red 
Swamp,  as  bad  a Paffage  as  it  is,  that  Capt.  Mangroves. 
Coxon^  La  Sound,  and  the  other  Privateers  landed 
in  the  Year,  167I.  when  they  went  to  take  Por- 
tohel.  They  had  by  this  means  a very  tedious 
and  wearifome  March;  but  they  chofe  to  land 
at  this  diftance  from  the  Town,  rather  than  at 
the  Bajiimentd* s or  any  nearer  Place,  that  they 
might  avoid  being  difcover’d  by  the  Scouts 
which  the  Spaniards  always  keep  in  their  Neigh- 
bourhood, and  fo  might  furprize  them.  And 
they  did,  indeed,  by  this  means  avoid  being 


80 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


difcern’d,  till  they  came  within  an  Hours  march 
of  the  Town;  tho’  they  travelled  along  the 
Country  for  five  or  fix  Days.  The  Spaniards 
make  no  ufe  of  this  Port  Scrivan\  and  unlefs  a 
Privateer,  or  a rambling  Sloop  put  in  here  by 
chance,  no  Vellel  vifits  it  in  many  Years. 

From  Port  Scrivan  to  the  Place  where  flood 
formerly  the  City  of  N ombre  de  Dios^  ’tis  further 
Weflward  about  7 or  8 Leagues.  The  Land 
between  is  very  uneven,  with  fmall  Hills,  fteep 
againft  the  Sea;  the  Valleys  between  them 
water'd  [62]  with  forry  little  Rivers.  The  Soil 
of  the  Hills  is  Rocky,  producing  but  fmall 
fhrubby  Trees;  the  Valleys  are  fome  of  good 
Land,  fome  of  Swamps  and  Mangroves.  The 
main  Ridge  here  feems  to  lie  at  a good  diflance 
from  the  Sea;  for  it  was  not  difcernible  in  this 
March  of  the  Privateers  along  the  Shore  to  Por- 
Nombre  de  tohel.  The  Place  where  Nombre  de  Dios  flood  is 
the  bottom  of  a Bay,  clofe  by  the  Sea,  all  over- 
grown with  a fort  of  Wild- Canes,  like  thofe 
us’d  by  our  Anglers  in  England,  There  is  no 
Sign  of  a Town  remaining,  it  is  all  fo  over-run 
with  thefe  Canes.  The  Situation  of  it  feems  to 
have  been  but  very  indifferent,  the  Bay  before 
it  lying  open  to  the  Sea,  and  affording  little 
Shelter  for  Shipping ; which  I have  heard  was 
one  Reafon  why  the  Spaniards  forfook  it : And 
another,  probably,  was  the  Unhealthinefs  of  the 
Country  it  felf,  it  being  fuch  low  fwampy  Land, 
and  very  fickly ; yet  there  is  a little  Rivulet  of 
very  fweet  Water  which  runs  clofe  by  the  Eafl- 
fide  of  the  Town.  The  Mouth  of  the  Harbour 
is  very  wide ; and  tho’  I have  heard  that  there 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


81 


lie  before  it  two  [63]  or  three  little  Keys,  or 
Rocks,  yet  they  afforded  no  great  Security  to  it. 

So  that  the  Spaniards  were  certainly  much  in 
the  right,  for  quitting  this  Place  to  fettle  at 
Portobel\  which  tho’  it  be  alfo  an  unhealthy 
Place,  yet  has  it  the  advantage  of  a very  good 
and  defenfible  Harbour. 

About  a Mile  or  two  to  the  Weftward  of  thefe 
fmall  Iflands,  at  the  Mouth  of  the  Bay  of  Nombre 
de  Dios^  and  about  half  a Mile  or  more  from  the 
Shore,  lie  a few  Iflands  called  the  Bajiimentd s,  i.  Bafii- 
for  the  moft  part  pretty  high,  and  one  peeked,  ^nento’s. 
and  all  cloathed  with  Woods.  On  one  of  them, 

(part  of  which  alfo  was  a Sandy  Bay,  and  a good 

Riding  and  Landing-place)  there  is  a Spring  of 

very  good  Water.  I was  afhore  at  this  Ifland, 

and  up  and  down  among  the  reft  of  them ; and 

all  of  them  together  make  a very  good  Harbour 

between  them  and  the  IJihmus.  The  Bottom 

affords  good  Anchoring;  and  there  is  good 

coming  in  with  the  Sea- wind  between  the  Eaffc- 

ermoft  Ifland  and  the  next  to  it,  and  going  out 

with  the  Land-wind  the  fame  way,  this  being 

the  chief  Paffage.  Further  Weft,  before  you 

come  to  [64]  Portobel^  lie  two  fmall  Iflands,  fiat  2 other  Ifles. 

and  without  Wood  or  Water.  They  are  pretty 

clofe  together;  and  one  of  them  I have  been 

afhore  upon.  The  Soil  is  fandy,  and  they  are 

environ’d  with  Rocks  towards  the  Sea;  and  they 

lie  fo  near  the  IJihmus  that  there  is  but  a very 

narrow  Channel  between,  not  fit  for  Ships  to 

come  into. 

The  Shore  of  the  IJihmus  hereabouts  confifts 
moftly  of  Sandy  Bays,  after  you  are  paft  a Ridge 


82 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


The  Neigh- 
bouring 
Shore  of  the 
Ijlhmus. 


Spanijh 

Indians. 


Portobel. 

The 

Harbour. 


The  Forts. 


of  Rocks  that  run  out  from  the  Bay  of  Nombre 
de  Diosy  pointing  towards  the  Bajlimento' s. 
Beyond  the  Bajiimentd s to  Portobel,  the  Coaffc  is 
generally  Rocky.  Within  Land  the  Country  is 
full  of  high  and  fteep  Hills,  very  good  Land ; 
mofb  Woody,  unlefs  where  clear’d  for  Planta- 
tions by  Spanifh  Indians,  tributary  to  Portobel, 
whither  they  go  to  Church.  And  thefe  are  the 
firft  Settlements  on  this  Coaft  under  the  Spanifh 
Government,  and  lie  fcattering  in  lone  Houfes 
or  little  Villages,  from  hence  to  Portobel  and 
beyond;  with  fome  Look-outs  or  Watches  kept 
towards  the  Sea,  for  the  Safety  of  the  Town. 
In  all  the  reft  of  the  North- [6 5] fide  of  the 
Ijlhmus,  which  I have  defcrib’d  hitherto,  the 
Spaniards  had  neither  Command  over  the  Indians, 
nor  Commerce  with  them  while  I was  there, 
though  there  are  Indians  inhabiting  all  along  the 
Continent ; yet  one  has  told  me  lince,  that  the 
Spaniards  have  won  them  over  to  them.* 

Portobel  is  a very  fair,  large  and  commodious 
Harbour,  affording  good  Anchoring  and  good 
Shelter  for  Ships,  having  a narrow  Mouth,  and 
fpreading  wider  within.  The  Galleons  from 
Spain  find  good  Riding  here  during  the  time  of 
their  Bufinefs  at  Portobel ; for  from  hence  they 
take  in  fuch  of  the  Treafures  of  Peru  as  are 
brought  thither  over  Land  from  Panama.  The 
Entrance  of  this  Harbour  is  fecur’d  by  a Fort 
upon  the  left  Hand  going  in ; it  is  a very  ftrong 
one,  and  the  Paffage  is  made  more  fecure  by  a 
Block-houfe  on  the  other  fide,  oppofite  to  it. 

* Chiefly  through  the  efforts  of  the  well-known  Bishop 
Piedrahita. — V.  R. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


83 


At  the  bottom  of  the  Harbour  lies  the  Town, 
bending  along  the  Shore  like  a Half-moon : In 
the  middle  of  which  upon  the  Sea,  is  another 
fmall  low  Fort,  environ’d  with  Houfes  except 
only  to  the  Sea:  And  [66]  at  the  Weft  end  of 
the  Town,  about  a Furlong  from  the  Shore, 
upon  a gentle  Riling,  lies  another  Fort,  pretty 
large  and  very  ftrong,  yet  overlook’d  by  a 
Neighbouring  Hill  further  up  the  Country, 
which  Sir  Henry  Morgan  made  ufe  of  to  take  the 
Fort.  In  all  thefe  Forts  there  may  be  about  2 
or  300  Spanifh  Souldiers  in  Garifon.  The  Town 
is  long  and  narrow,  having  two  principal  Streets 
befides  thofe  that  go  acrofs ; with  a fmall  Parade 
about  the  middle  of  it,  furrounded  with  pretty 
fair  Houfes.  The  other  Houfes  alfo  and 
Churches  are  pretty  handfome,  after  the  Spanifh 
make.  The  Town  lies  open  to  the  Country 
without  either  Wall  or  Works;  and  at  the  Eaft- 
fide  of  it,  where  the  Road  to  Panama  goes  out, 
(becaufe  of  Hills,  that  lie  to  the  Southward  of 
the  Town,  and  obftrudt  the  diredt  Paffage)  there 
lies  a long  Stable,  running  North  and  South  from 
the  Town,  to  which  it  joins.  This  is  the  King’s 
Stable  for  the  Mules  that  are  imployed  in  the 
Road  betwixt  this  and  Panama,  The  Govern- 
ours  Houfe  is  clofe  by  the  great  Fort,  on  the 
fame  Rifmg,  at  the  Weft  of  the  Town.  [67] 
Between  the  Parade  in  the  middle  of  the  Town, 
and  the  Governours  Houfe,  is  a little  Creek  or 
Brook,  with  a Bridge  over  it;  and  at  the  Eaft- 
end,  by  the  Stable,  is  a fmall  Rivulet  of  frefh 
Water.  I have  already  faid  that  it  is  an  un- 
healthy Place.  The  Eafl-hde  is  low  and 


The  Town. 


Road  to 
Panama. 


The  K’.s 
Stable. 

The  Gover- 
nours 
Houfe. 


Rivulet. 
Bad  Air. 


84 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


The  Coaft 
hence  to 
R.  Chagre. 


Bocca  Toro 
& Bocca 
Drago. 

The  S.  Sea 
Coaft  of  the 
Ijlhmtis. 


Point  Gara- 
china. 


fwampy;  and  the  Sea  at  low  Water  leaves  the 
Shore  within  the  Harbour  bare,  a great  way  from 
the  Houfes;  which  having  a black  filthy  Mud, 
it  ftinks  very  much,  and  breeds  noifome  Vapours, 
thro’  the  Heat  of  the  Climate.  From  the  South 
and  the  Eaft-fides  the  Country  rifes  gently  in 
Hills,  which  are  partly  Woodland  and  partly 
Savannah;  but  there  is  not  any  great  Store 
either  of  Fruit-trees  or  Plantations  near  the 
Town.  This  Account  I have  had  from  feveral 
Privateers  juft  as  they  return’d  from  Portohel\ 
but  I have  not  been  there  my  felf. 

The  Country  beyond  this  Weft  ward,  to  the 
Mouth  of  the  River  Chagre^  I have  feen  off  at 
Sea:  But  not  having  been  afhore  there,  I can 
give  no  other  Account  of  it,  but  only  that  it  is 
partly  Hilly,  and  near  the  Sea  very  much 
Swampy ; and  I have  [68]  heard  by  feveral  that 
there  is  no  Communication  between  Portohel  and 
the  Mouth  of  that  River. 

I have  been  yet  further  Weftward  on  this 
Coaft,  before  I went  over  the  IJlhmus  with  Capt. 
Sharpy  ranging  up  and  down  and  careening  at 
Bocca  Toro  and  Bocca  Drago  \ but  this  is  without 
the  Verge  of  thofe  Bounds  I have  fet  my  felf. 

Having  thus  Survey’d  the  North-Coafl  of  the 
IJlhmus y I fhall  take  a light  View  of  the  South 
alfo : But  I fhall  the  lefs  need  to  be  particular  in 
it,  becaufe  Mr.  Dampier  hath  in  fome  meafure 
defcrib’d  this  part  of  it  in  his  Voyage  round  the 
World. 

To  begin  therefore  from  Point  Garachinay 
which  makes  the  Weft- fide  of  the  Mouth  of  the 
River  of  Samboy  this  Point  is  pretty  high  faft 


WAFER^S  DARIEN 


85 


Land ; but  within,  towards  the  River,  it  is  low, 
drowned  Mangrove,  and  fo  are  all  the  Points  of 
Land  to  Cape  Saint  Lorenzo, 

The  River  of  Sambo  I have  not  feen ; but  it  is 
faid  to  be  a pretty  large  River.  Its  Mouth 
opens  to  the  North ; and  from  thence  the  Coafl 
bears  North  Eaft  to  the  Gulph  of  St.  Michael. 
[69]  This  Gulph  is  made  by  the  Outlets  of  fev- 
eral  Rivers,  the  molt  noted  of  which  are  the 
River  of  Santa  Maria^  and  the  River  of  Congo', 
tho’  there  are  others  of  a confiderable  bignefs. 
Of  thefe  Rivers,  to  the  Southward  of  Santa 
Maria,  one  is  called  the  Gold  River,  affording 
Gold  Duff  in  great  plenty:  For  hither  the 
Spaniards  of  Panama  and  Santa  Maria  Town 
bring  up  their  Slaves  to  gather  up  the  Gold 
Duff. 

The  next  to  the  Gold  River  is  that  of  Santa 
Maria,  fo  called  from  the  Town  of  that  Name 
feated  on  the  South-fide  of  it,  at  a good  diftance 
from  the  Sea.  It  was  along  this  River  we  came,* 
when  we  firft  entred  the  South  Seas  with  Cap- 
tain Sharp,  Handing  over  it,  from  the  Bay  by 
Golden  Ifland,  where  we  landed.  We  then  took 
the  Town  of  Santa  Maria  in  our  way ; which 
was  garrifon’d  with  about  200  Spanifh  Soldiers, 
but  was  not  very  ftrong,  having  no  Walls;  and 
the  Fort  it  felf  was  fecur’d  with  Stockadoes 
only,  or  Palifadoes.  This  is  but  a new  Town, 
being  built  by  the  Spaniards  of  Panama,  partly 


Cape  St. 
Lorenzo. 

R.  Sambo. 


Gulph  of 
S.  Michael. 


Gold  R. 


R.  Santa 
Maria. 


Santa 

Maria 

Town. 


* They  followed  the  Sucubti,  which  rises  in  the  mountains 
back  of  Caledonia  Harbor,  down  to  the  main  stream  of  the  Chu- 
gunaque  and  down  this  stream  to  the  town  of  Santa  Maria. 
The  Tuyra  and  the  Santa  Maria  were  the  gold  rivers. — V.  R. 


86 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


The  Coun- 
try about. 


Scuchadero 

V. 


R.  Congo. 


Gulph  of 
S.  Michael. 


for  a Garifon  and  Magazine  of  Provifion,  [70] 
and  partly  for  Quarters  of  Refreftiment,  and  a 
retiring  Place  for  their  Workmen  in  the  Gold 
River.  The  Country  all  about  here  is  Woody 
and  Low,  and  very  unhealthy ; the  Rivers  being 
fo  Oazy,  that  the  {linking  Mud  infec5ls  the  Air: 
But  the  little  Village  of  Scuchadero , which  lies 
on  the  right  fide  of  the  River  of  Santa  Maria^ 
near  the  Mouth  of  it,  is  feated  on  faffc  riling 
Ground,  open  to  the  Gulph  of  St.  Michael,  and 
admitting  frefh  Breezes  from  the  Sea ; fo  that 
this  is  pretty  healthy,  and  ferves  as  a Place  of 
Refrefhment  for  the  Mines;  and  has  a fine 
Rivulet  of  very  fweet  Water;  whereas  thofe 
Rivers  are  brackifh  for  a confiderable  way  up 
the  Country. 

Between  Scuchadero  and  Cape  St.  Lorenzo, 
which  makes  the  North-fide  of  the  Gulph  of  St. 
Michael,  the  River  of  Congo  falls  into  the  Gulph ; 
which  River  is  made  up  of  many  Rivulets,  that 
fall  from  the  Neighbouring  Hills,  and  join  into 
one  Stream.  The  Mouth  of  it  is  muddy,  and 
bare  for  a great  way  at  low  Water,  unlefs  juft 
in  the  depth  of  the  Channel;  and  it  affords 
little  Entertainment  for  Ship- [71] ping.  But 
further  in,  the  River  is  deep  enough;  fo  that 
Ships  coming  in  at  high  Water  might  find  it  a 
very  good  Harbour,  if  they  had  any  Bufinefs 
here.  The  Gulph  it  felf  has  feveral  Iflands  in 
it;  and  up  and  down  in  and  about  them,  there 
is  in  many  Places  very  good  Riding;  for  the 
mod  part  in  Oazy  Ground.  The  Iflands  alfo, 
efpecially  thofe  towards  the  Mouth,  make  a good 
Shelter;  and  the  Gulph  hath  room  enough  for 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


87 


a multitude  of  Ships.  The  Sides  are  every 
where  furrounded  with  Mangroves,  growing  in 
wet  fwampy  Land. 

North  of  this  Gulph  is  a fmall  Creek,  where 
we  landed  at  our  Return  out  of  the  Seas ; * and 
the  Land  between  thefe  is  partly  fuch  Mangrove 
Land  as  the  other,  and  partly  Sandy  Bays. 
From  thence  the  Land  runs  further  on  North, 
but  gently  bending  to  the  Weft:  And  this  Coaft 
alfo  is  much  fuch  a mixture  of  Mangrove  Land 
and  Sandy  Bay,  quite  to  the  River  Cheapo  \ and 
in  many  Places  there  are  Sholes,  for  a Mile  or 
half  a Mile  off  at  Sea.  In  feveral  parts  of  this 
Coaft,  at  about  five  or  fix  Miles  [72]  diftance 
from  the  Shore  there  are  fmall  Hills ; and  the 
whole  Country  is  covered  with  Woods.  I know 
but  one  River  worth  obferving  between  Congo 
and  Cheapo:  Yet  there  are  many  Creeks  and 
Oiitlets ; but  no  frefh  Water,  that  I know  of,  in 
any  part  of  this  Coaft,  in  the  dry  Seafon ; for 
the  Stagnancies  and  Declivities  of  the  Ground, 
and  the  very  droppings  of  the  Trees,  in  the  wet 
Seafon,  afford  Water  enough. 

Cheapo  is  a confiderable  River,  but  has  no 
good  entring  into  it  for  Sholes.  Its  Courfe  is 
long,  riCng  near  the  North  Sea,  and  pretty  far 
from  towards  the  Eaft.  About  this  River  the 
Country  fomething  changes  its  Face,  being 
Savannah  on  the  Weft-fide;  though  the  Eaft- 
fide  is  Woodland,  as  the  other.  Cheapo  Town 

*Dampier,  p.  7:  “ We  just  got  about  Cape  St.  Lorenzo  in 
the  morning;  and  sailed  about  4 miles  farther  to  the  West- 
ward, and  run  into  a small  Creek  within  two  Keys,  or  little 
Islands,  and  rowed  up  to  the  head  of  the  Creek,  being  about  a 
mile  up,  and  there  we  landed  May  i.  1681.” 


The  Land  to 
the  N.  of  the 
Gulph. 


Sholes. 


R.  Cheapo. 
The  Land 
here. 


Cheapo  T. 


88 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Savannah’s. 


R.  Chagre. 


Venia  de 
Cruzes. 


Carriage  to 
Portobel. 


3 Rivers. 


Old  Pan- 
ama. 


ftands  on  the  Weffc-lide,  at  fome  diftance  from 
the  Sea;  but  is  fmall,  and  of  no  great  Confe- 
qnence.  Its  chief  Support  is  from  the  Paftur- 
age  of  black  Cattle  in  the  Savannah’s. 

Thefe  Savannah’s  are  not  level,  but  confiffc  of 
fmall  Hills  and  Valleys,  with  fine  Spots  of 
Woods  intermix’d ; and  from  fome  of  thefe  Hills 
not  far  [73]  from  Cheapo^  the  River  of  Chagre^ 
which  runs  into  the  North  Sea,  takes  its  rife. 
It  runs  Weft  for  a while;  and  on  the  South-fide 
of  it,  at  no  great  diftance  from  Panama,  is  Vent  a 
de  Cruzes,  a fmall  Village  of  Inns  and  Store- 
houfes;  whither  Merchandifes  that  are  to  be 
fent  down  the  River  Chagre  are  carried  from 
Panama  by  Mules,  and  there  embark’d  in  Canoa’s 
and  Pereagoe’s ; but  the  Plate  is  carried  all  the 
way  by  Land  on  Mules  to  Portohel.  The  Coun- 
try here  alfo  is  Savannah  and  Woodland  inter- 
mix’d; with  thick  fhort  Hills,  efpecially  towards 
Panama. 

Between  the  River  of  Cheapo  and  Panama, 
further  Weft,  are  three  Rivers,  of  no  great 
Confequence,  lying  open  to  the  Sea.  The  Land 
between  is  low  even  Land,  moft  of  it  dry,  and 
cover’d  here  and  there  by  the  Sea,  with  fhort 
Bufhes.  Near  the  moft  Wefterly  of  thefe  Old 
Panama  was  feated,  once  a large  City ; but  noth- 
ing now  remains  of  it,  befides  Rubbifh,  and  a 
few  Houfes  of  poor  People.  The  Spaniards 
were  weary  of  it,  having  no  good  Port  or  Land- 
ing-place ; and  had  a defign  to  have  left  [74]  it, 
before  it  was  burnt  by  Sir  Henry  Morgan.  But 
then  they  no  longer  deliberated  about  the  Mat- 
ter ; but  inftead  of  rebuilding  it,  raifed  another 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


89 


Town  to  the  Weftward,  which  is  the  prefent 
City  of  Panama.  The  River  of  Old  Panama  runs 
between  them ; but  rather  nearer  the  new  Town 
than  the  Old;  and  into  this  River  fmall  Barks 
may  enter. 

The  chief  Advantage  which  New  Panama 
hath  above  the  Old^  is  an  excellent  Road  for 
fmall  Ships,  as  good  as  a Harbour ; for  which  it 
is  beholden  to  the  Shelter  of  the  Neighbouring 
Ifles  of  Perica,  which  lie  before  it,  three  in  num- 
ber, in  a Row  parallel  to  the  Shore.  There  is 
very  good  Anchoring  between,  at  a good  diftance 
from  the  Town ; but  between  the  Road  and  the 
Town  is  a Shole  or  Spit  of  Land;  fo  that  Ships 
cannot,  come  near  the  Town,  but  lie  neareft  to 
Perica ; but  by  this  means  the  Town  has  them 
lefs  under  Command.  Panama  ftands  on  a level 
Ground,  and  is  furrounded  with  a high  Wall, 
efpecially  towards  the  Sea.  It  hath  no  Fort 
befides  the  Town-Walls;  upon  which  the  Sea, 
[75]  which  wafhes  it  every  Tide,  beats  fo  ftrong- 
ly,  fometimes,  as  to  throw  down  a part  of  them. 
It  makes  a very  beautiful  Profpedt  off  at  Sea, 
the  Churches  and  chief  Houfes  appearing  above 
the  reft.  The  Building  appears  white;  efpe- 
cially the  Walls,  which  are  of  Stone;  and  the 
Covering  of  the  Houfes  red,  for  probably  they 
are  Pan-tile,  which  is  much  ufed  by  the  Span- 
iards all  over  the  WePl-Indies.  The  Town  is 
furrounded  with  Savannahs,  gentle  flat  Hills, 
and  Copies  of  Wood,  which  add  much  to  the 
Beauty  of  the  Profpedt ; and  among  thefe  are  fcat- 
ter’d  here  and  there  fome  EJiantion  s or  Farm- 
houfes  for  the  managing  their  Cattel;  which 


R.  of 
Panama. 


New 

Panama. 

The 

Harbour. 

Ifles  of 
Perica. 


Shole. 


Fine  Prof- 
pe(5l  of 
Panama. 


E/ia7ttion's. 


The  great 
refort  to 
Panama. 


Its  Jurif- 
didtion. 


Bad  Air. 


Rio  Grande. 


90  WAFER’S  DARIEN 


are  Beeves,  Horfes  and  Mules.  This  Town  is 
the  great  Rendezvous  of  this  part  of  the  South- 
fea  Coaft;  being  the  Receptacle  of  the  Treafures 
from  Lima,  and  other  Sea-ports  of  Peru ; trading 
alfo  towards  Mexico,  though  very  little  beyond 
the  Gulph  of  Nicaragua.  The  King  of  Spain 
hath  a Prefident  here,  who  adts  in  Concert  with 
his  Council;  and  the  Governour  of  Portobel  is 
under  him.  His  Jurifdidlion  comprehends 
Nata,  Lavelia,  Leon,  [76]  Realeja,  &c.  till  he 
meets  with  the  Government  of  Guatimala ; and 
Eaftward  he  commands  over  as  much  of  the 
IJlhmus,  on  both  Seas,  as  is  under  the  Spaniards. 
The  Place  is  very  fickly,  though  it  lies  in  a 
Country  good  enough;  but  poffibly  'tis  only  fo 
to  thofe  who  come  hither  from  the  dry  pure  Air 
of  Lima  and  Truxillio,  and  other  Parts  of  Peru\ 
who  grow  indif pos’d  prefently,  and  are  forc’d  to 
cut  off  their  Hair.  Yet  is  it  very  healthy  in 
comparifon  of  Portohel. 

About  a League  to  the  Weft  of  Panama  is 
another  River,  which  is  pretty  large,  and  is 
called  by  fome  Rio  Grande.  It  is  Shole  at 
entrance,  and  runs  very  fwift;  and  fo  is  not  fit 
for  Shipping.  On  the  Weft-banks  of  it  are 
EJiantions  and  Plantations  of  Sugar;  but  the 
Shore  from  hence  beginning  to  trend  away  to 
the  Southward  again,  I fhall  here  fix  my  Weft- 
ern  Boundary  to  the  South-fea  Coaft  of  the 
IJlhmus,  and  go  no  further  in  the  Defcription 
of  it. 

The  Shore  between  Point  Garachina  and  this 
River,  and  fo  on  further  to  Punta  Mala,  makes 
a very  regular  [77]  and  more  than  Semi-circular 


WAFER^S  DARIEN 


91 


Bay,  called  by  the  name  of  the  Bay  of  Panama.  Bay  of 
In  this  are  feveral  as  fine  Iflands  as  are  any  Pcmama. 
where  to  be  found,  the  King's  or  Pearl  Iflands, 
Pacheque^  Chepelio^  Perica^  &c.  with  great  variety 
of  good  Riding  for  Ships:  Of  all  which  Mr. 

Dampier  hath  given  a particular  Account  in  the 
7th  Chapter  of  his  Voyage  round  the  World \ fo 
that  I fhall  forbear  to  fay  any  thing  more  of 
them.  ’Tis  a very  noble  delightful  Bay;  and 
as  it  affords  good  anchoring  and  fhelter,  fo  the 
Iflands  alfo  yield  plenty  of  Wood,  Water, 

Fruits,  Fowls  and  Hoggs,  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  Shipping. 

The  Soil  of  the  Inland  part  of  the  Country  is  The  Soil, 
generally  very  good,  for  the^  moft  part,  of  a 
black  fruitful  Mould.  From  the  Gulph  of  St. 

Michael,  to  the  Ridge  of  Hills  lying  off  Caret 
Bay,  it  is  a Vale  Country,  well  water’d  with  the 
Rivers  that  fall  into  that  Gulph : But  near  the 
Gulph  ’tis  very  fwampy  and  broken,  fo  as  that 
it  is  fcarce  pofiible  to  travel  along  the  Shore 
thereabouts.  Weftward  of  the  River  of  Congo, 
the  Country  grows  more  Hilly  and  Dry,  with 
pleafant  [78]  and  rich  Vales  intermix’d,  till  you 
are  paft  the  River  Cheapo  \ and  thus  far  the 
whole  Country  is  all,  as  it  were,  one  continued 
Wood.  The  Savannah  Country  commences 
here,  dry  and  graffy;  with  fmall  Hills  and 
Woods  intermix’d:  And  the  Hills  are  every 
where  fertile  to  the  top  (tho’  more  fruitful 
nearer  the  bottom)  and  even  the  tops  of  the 
main  Ridge  are  cover’d  with  very  fiourifhing 
Trees.  Yet  the  Hills  from  which  the  Gold 
Rivers  fall,  near  Santa  Maria,  are  more  barren 


92 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


towards  the  top,  and  bear  fhort  Shrubs  fcatter’d 
here  and  there.  The  Soil  feems  capable  of  any 
Produ(5tions  proper  to  the  Climate : I believe  we 
have  nothing  that  grows  in  Jamaica  but  what 
would  thrive  here  alfo ; and  grow  very  luxuri- 
antly, coniidering  the  exceeding  richnefs  of  the 
Soil. 

The  Woods.  The  Woods  of  this  Country  are  not  the  fame 
on  the  tops  or  fides  of  the  Hills  in  the  Inland 
Country,  as  they  are  near  the  Sea.  For  in  the 
drier  and  more  rifing  Inland  Country,  the  Woods 
are  rather  a large  Fore  ft  of  Timber- trees,  or  a 
Delightful  Grove  of  Trees  of  feveral  kinds, 
very  large  [79]  and  tall,  with  little  or  no  Under- 
wood: And  the  Trees  are  plac’d  at  fuch  a 
diftance  from  each  other,  as  that  a Horfe  might 
gallop  among  them  for  a great  way,  and  decline 
them  with  eafe.  The  tops  of  thefe  Trees  are 
generally  very  large  and  fpreading ; and  I pre- 
fume, ’tis  the  fhade  and  dropping  of  thefe 
which  hinders  any  thing  elfe  from  growing  in 
the  rich  Ground  among  them : For  in  the  open 
Savannahs,  or  where  the  Ground  is  clear’d  by 
Induftry  for  Plantations,  there  grow  fmaller 
Vegetables  in  great  abundance.  But  on  the 

Swampy  Sea-Coaft,  where  the  Soil  is  often  fwampy 

Thickets.  drown’d  Land,  efpecially  near  the  Mouths  of 

Rivers,  the  Trees  are  not  tall  but  fhrubby,  as 
Mangroves,  Brambles,  Bamboe’s,  &c.  Not 
growing  in  the  manner  of  Groves  or  Arbours, 
fcattering  at  convenient  diftances ; but  in  a con- 
tinued Thicket,  fo  clofe  fet,  that  ’tis  a very 
difficult  matter  to  work  ones  way  through  thefe 
Morafles. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


93 


The  Weather  is  much  the  fame  here  as  in 
other  places  of  the  Torrid  Zone  in  this  Lati- 
tude; but  inclining  rather  to  the  Wet  Extreme. 
The  [8o]  Seafon  of  Rains  begins  in  April  or 
May ; and  during  the  Months  of  Juney  July  and 
Augujiy  the  Rains  are  very  violent.  It  is  very 
hot  alfo  about  this  time,  where-ever  the  Sun 
breaks  out  of  a Cloud : For  the  Air  is  then  very 
fultry,  becaufe  then  ufually  there  are  no  Breezes 
to  fan  and  cool  it,  but  ’tis  all  glowing  hot. 
About  September y the  Rains  begin  to  abate : But 
’tis  November  or  December y and  it  may  be,  part  of 
January  e’re  they  are  quite  gone:  So  that  ’tis  a 
very  wet  Country,  and  has  Rains  for  Two 
Thirds,,  if  not  Three  Quarters -of  a Year.  Their 
firfh  coming  is  after  the  manner  of  our  fuddain 
April  Showers,  or  hafty  Thunder  Showers,  one 
in  a Day  at  firft.  After  this,  two  or  three  in  a 
Day;  at  length,  a Shower  almofl  every  Hour: 
and  frequently  accompanied  with  violent  Thun- 
der and  Lightning:  During  which  time,  the  Air 
has  often  a faint  Sulphureous  Smell,  where 
pent  up  among  the  Woods.  After  this  variable 
Weather,  for  about  four  or  fix  Weeks,  there  will 
be  fettled  continued  Rains  of  feveral  Days  and 
Nights,  without  Thunder  and  Lightning,  but 
exceeding  vehement,  [8i]  confidering  the  length 
of  them.  Yet  at  certain  Intervals  between 
thefe,  even  in  the  wettefl  of  the  Seafon,  there 
will  be  feveral  fair  Days  intermix’d,  with  only 
Tornado’s  or  Thunder-Showers;  and  that  fome- 
times  for  a Week  together.  Thefe  Thunder- 
Showers  caufe  ufually  a fenfible  Wind,  by  the 
Clouds  prefiing  the  Atmofphere,  which  is  very 


The 

Weather. 


Seafon  of 
the  Rains. 


Thunder 
and  Light- 
ning. 


94 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Moskiio’s. 


Land- 

Floods. 


refrefiiing,  and  moderates  the  Heat:  But  then 
this  Wind  fhaking  the  Trees  of  this  continued 
Fore  ft,  their  dropping  is  as  troublefome  as  the 
Rain  it  felf . When  the  Shower  is  over,  you  fhall 
hear  for  a great  way  together  the  Croaking  of 
Frogs  and  Toads,  the  humming  of  Moskito’s  or 
Gnats,  and  the  hiffmg  or  fhrieking  of  Snakes  and 
other  Infec5ts,  loud  and  unpleafant;  fome  like  the 
quacking  of  Ducks.  The  Moskito’s  chiefly 
infefl  the  low  fwampy  or  Mangrove  Lands,  near 
the  Rivers  or  Seas:  But  however,  this  Country 
is  not  fo  pefter’d  with  that  uneafie  Vermin,  as 
many  other  of  the  warm  Countries  are.  When 
the  Rains  fall  among  the  Woods,  they  make  a 
hollow  or  ratling  found:  But  the  Floods  caus’d 
by  them  often  bear  down  the  [82]  Trees ; as  I 
obferv’d  in  relating  my  Paffage  over  Land. 
Thefe  will  often  Barricade  or  Dam  up  the  River, 
till  ’tis  clear’d  by  another  Flood  that  fhall  fet 
the  Trees  afloat  again.  Sometimes  alfo  the 
Floods  run  over  a broad  Plain ; and  for  the  time, 
make  it  all  like  one  great  Lake.  The  cooleft 
time  here^is  about  our  Chriftmas,  when  the  fair 
Weather  is  coming  on. 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


95 


[83]  Of  the  Trees,  Fruits,  &c.  in  the  ifthmus 
of  America. 


S this  Country  is  very  Woody,  fo  it  con-  Trees,  &>c. 


Kinds  unknown  to  us  in  Europe,  as  well 
Fruit-Trees  as  others. 

The  Cotton-tree  is  the  largeffc  of  any,  and  Cotton-tree, 
grows  in  great  plenty  in  moft  parts  of  the 
IJihmus\  but  I do  not  remember  that  I have 
feen  it  in  the  Samballoes,  or  any  other  of  the 
adjacent  IJlands,  It  bears  a Cod  about  as  big  as 
a Nutmeg,  full  of  fhort  Wool  or  Down,  which 
when  ripe  burffcs  out  of  the  Cod,  and  is  blown 
about  by  the  Wind,  and  is  of  little  ufe.  The 
chief  Advantage  that  is  made  of  thefe  Trees,  is 
by  forming  them  into  Canoa’s  and  Periago’s; 
which  laft  differ  from  the  other,  as  Lighters 
and  fmall  Barges  do  from  Wherries.*  The 

* Both  were  made  from  the  single  trunk  of  a tree,  hollowed 
out  by  burning  and  scraping.  “ A Canow  is  like  a little 
Wherry-boat  made  of  one  only  Tree,  without  the  help  of  any 
other  Instrument  but  fire  only,  which  they  set  to  the  root  of 
the  Tree,  governing  it  with  such  industry,  as  nothing  is  burnt 
but  that  that  they  would  have,  thus  by  this  only  Instrument 
they  put  it  into  such  a form,  as  makes  it  capable  to  Sail  three 
or  fourscore  Leagues  without  hazard.” — History  of  the  Buca- 
niers  (London,  Malthus,  1684,  i2mo),  p.  181. 


tains  great  variety  of  Trees,  of  feveral 


96 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Cedar*. 


Macaw- 

tree. 


Indians  burn  the  Trees  hollow ; but  the  Spaniards 
hew  and  chizzel  them;  and  the  Wood  is  very 
foft  and  eafy  [84]  to  work  upon,  being  fofter 
than  Willow. 

The  Cedars  of  this  Country  are  valuable  for 
their  heighth  and  largenefs;  there  are  very 
ftately  ones  on  the  Continent,  but  I remember 
not  any  in  the  IJlands,  They  grow  towards 
each  of  the  Sea  Coajis,  but  efpecially  towards  the 
North.  The  Wood  is  very  red,  of  a curious  fine 
Grain,  and  very  frag[r]ant.  But  thefe  are  put  to 
no  better  ufe  than  the  Cotton-trees^  ferving  only 
to  make  Canoa's  and  Periago’s:  And  their 
plenty  you  may  judge  of  by  this,  that  if  the 
Indians  want  to  cut  one  for  a Canoa,  they  will 
not  trouble  themfelves  about  any  a Furlong  off, 
tho’  never  fo  fine;  having  enough  ufually  to 
fell  by  the  fide  of  the  River  into  which  they 
intend  to  Launch  it. 

There  are  on  the  Continent  feveral  Trees  of 
the  /h/;;^-kind,  of  which  fort  we  may  reckon 
the  Macaw -tree.  It  grows  in  great  plenty  in 
fwampy  or  moift  Grounds ; and  I remember  not 
that  I faw  them  any  where  but  on  the  South- 
fide  of  the  IJihmus,  which  is  moftly  of  fuch  a 
Soil.  It  is  not  very  tall,  the  Body  rifing  ftreight 
up  [85]  to  about  ten  Foot  or  more,  furrounded 
with  protuberant  Rings  at  certain  diftances, 
and  thofe  thick-fet  with  long  Prickles.  The 
middle  of  the  Tree  is  a Pith  like  Elder,  taking 
up  above  half  the  Diameter  of  the  Body.  The 
Body  is  naked  without  Branches  till  towards 
the  top ; but  there  it  puts  out  Leaves  or  Branches 
12  or  14  Foot  long,  and  a Foot  and  an  half  wide, 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


97 


lefTening  gradually  toward  the  Extremity.  The 
Rib  or  Seam  of  this  Leaf  is  befet  all  along  with 
Prickles,  on  the  out-hde ; and  the  Leaf  it  felf  is 
jagged  about  the  Edges  and  as  thick  as  ones 
Hand,  at  the  broader  end  of  it.  At  the  top  of 
the  Tree,  and  amidft  the  Roots  of  thefe  Leaves 
grows  the  Fruit,  a fort  of  Berries  fprouting  up 
in  Clufters,  each  about  the  lize  of  a fmall  Pear, 
but  many  fcore  of  them  together.  They  incline 
to  an  oval  Figure,  and  are  of  a yellow  or  reddifh 
Colour  when  ripe.  There  is  a Stone  in  the 
middle,  and  the  outfide  is  ffcringy,  and  flimy 
when  ripe ; of  a tart  Taft,  harfh  in  the  Mouth, 
yet  not  unpleafant : And  the,  way  of  eating  the 
Fruit  is  to  bite  the  Flefhy  part  from  the  Stone, 
and  having  chew’d  it,  [86]  to  fpit  out  the 
remaining  fhringy  Subftance.  The  Indians  fre- 
quently cut  down  the  Tree  only  to  get  the 
Berries ; but  fuch  of  them  as  are  more  low  and 
{lender,  you  may  bend  down  to  your  Hand. 

The  Wood  of  the  Tree  is  very  hard,  black,  and 
ponderous,  and  is  of  great  ufe.  It  fplits  very 
eafily,  and  the  Indians  make  of  it  many  Conve- 
niencies  for  their  Building  and  other  Occafions, 
fplitting  the  Tree  into  fmall  Planks  or  Rafters 
which  they  ufe  about  their  Houfes.  The  Men 
make  Arrow-heads  of  this  Wood;  the  Women 
Needle- Shuttles  to  weave  their  Cotton,  &c. 

Upon  the  Main  alfo  grows  the  Bibby  Tree,  fo  Bzbby-tveQ. 
called  from  a Liquor  which  difbills  from  it,  and 
which  our  Englifh  call  Bibby.  The  Tree  hath  a 
{freight  {lender  Body  no  thicker  than  ones 
Thigh,  but  grows  to  a great  heighth,  6o  or  70 
Foot.  The  Body  is  naked  of  Leaves  or  Branches, 


98 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Nut-Oil. 


The  Bibby. 


Coco. 


Anonymous. 
P I ant  am  s. 


but  prickly.  The  Branches  put  out  at  the  top, 
and  among  them  grow  the  Berries  abundantly, 
like  a Garland  round  about  the  Root  of  each  of 
the  Branches.  The  Tree  hath  all  along  the 
infide  of  [87]  it  a narrow  Pith ; the  Wood  is  very 
hard,  and  black  as  Ink.  The  Indians  do  not  cut, 
but  burn  down  the  Tree  to  get  at  the  Berries. 
Thefe  are  of  a whitifh  Colour,  and  about  the 
fize  of  a Nutmeg.  They  are  very  Oily;  and  the 
Indians  beat  them  in  hollow  Mortars  or  Troughs, 
then  boil  and  ftrain  them ; and  as  the  Liquor 
cools,  they  skim  off  a clear  Oil  from  the  top. 
This  Oil  is  extraordinary  bitter:  The  Indians 
ufe  it  for  anointing  themfelves,  and  to  mix  with 
the  Colours  wherewith  they  paint  themfelves. 
When  the  Tree  is  young  they  Tap  it,  and  put  a 
Leaf  into  the  Bore;  from  whence  the  Bibby 
trickles  down  in  great  quantity.  It  is  a wheyifh 
Liquor,  of  a pleafant  tart  Taffce ; and  they  drink 
it  after  it  hath  been  kept  a Day  or  two. 

There  are  Coco-\x^^^  in  the  Iflands,  but  none 
on  the  IJihmus  that  I remember ; and  no  Cacao- 
trees  on  either. 

On  the  Main  grows  a Tree  that  bears  a Fruit 
like  a Cherry;  but  full  of  Stones,  and  never  foft. 

On  the  Main  alfo  are  Plantains  in  great  abun- 
dance, which  have  a Body  conhfting  of  feveral 
Leaves  or  Coats,  [88]  that  grow  one  from  under 
another,  fpiring  upwards  into  an  oblong  Fruit  at 
the  top;  the  Coats  or  Leaves,  which  are  very 
long  and  large,  fpreading  off  from  the  Body, 
and  making  a Plume  all  round.  None  of  them 
grow  wild,  unlefs  when  fome  are  brought  down 
the  Rivers  in  the  Seafon  of  the  Rains,  and  being 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


99 


left  aground,  fow  themf elves.  The  Indians  fet 
them  in  Rows  or  Walks,  without  under- wood; 
and  they  make  very  delightful  Groves.  They 
cut  them  down  to  get  at  the  Fruit;  and  the 
Bodies  being  green  and  fappy,  they  are  cut 
down  with  one  Stroke  of  an  Axe. 

The  Bonano's  alfo  grow  on  the  IJihmus  very 
plentifully.  They  are  a fort  of  Plantains,  The 
Fruit  is  fhort  and  thick,  fweet  and  mealy.  This 
eats  beft  raw,  and  the  Plantain  boil’d. 

On  the  IJlands  there  are  a great  many  Mam- 
mee-trees,  which  grow  with  a clear,  ftreight 
Body,  to  6o  Foot  high,  or  upwards.  The  Fruit 
is  very  wholefome  and  delicious;  fhap’d  fome- 
what  like  a Pound-pear,  but  much  larger,  with 
a fmall  Stone  or  two  in  the  middle. 

[89]  The  Mammee- Sapp  Ota  differs  fomething 
from  the  other,  and  is  a fmaller  and  firmer 
Fruit,  of  a fine  beautiful  Colour  when  ripe.  It 
is  very  fcarce  on  the  IJlands ; and  neither  of  thef e 
grow  on  the  Continent. 

So  neither  are  Sapadillo' s found  growing  on 
the  IJihmus^  though  there  is  great  plenty  of  them 
in  the  IJlands.  The  Tree  is  not  fo  high  as  thofe 
laffc;  it  grows  without  Branches  to  the  top, 
where  it  fpreads  out  in  Limbs  like  an  Oak. 
The  Fruit  is  very  pleafant  to  the  Taft.  It  is 
fmall  as  a Bergamajco  Pear,  and  is  coated  like  a 
Ruffe  t- Pippin. 

On  the  IJihmus  grows  that  delicious  Fruit 
which  we  call  the  Pine- Apple ^ in  fhape  not  much 
unlike  an  Artichoke,  and  as  big  as  a Mans  Head. 
It  grows  like  a Crown  on  the  top  of  a Stalk 
about  as  big  as  ones  Arm,  and  a Foot  and  a half 


Bonano's, 


Mammee, 


Mammee 

Sappota. 


Sapadillo’s. 


Pine- Apple. 


100 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Prickle 

Pear. 


Popes 

Heads. 


Sugar- 

Canes. 


Manchinel. 


high.  The  Fruit  is  ordinarily  about  fix  Pound 
weight;  and  is  inclos’d  with  fhort  prickly 
Leaves  like  an  Artichoke.  They  do  not  ftrip, 
but  pare  off  thef e Leaves  to  get  at  the  Fruit ; 
which  hath  no  Stone  or  Kernel  in  it.  ’Tis  very 
juicy ; and  fome  fancy  it  to  refemble  the  [90] 
Taft  of  all  the  moft  delicious  Fruits  one  can 
imagine  mix’d  together.  It  ripens  at  all  times 
of  the  Year,  and  is  rais’d  from  new  Plants. 
The  Leaves  of  the  Plant  are  broad,  about  a Foot 
long,  and  grow  from  the  Root. 

On  the  Main  alfo  grows  the  Prickle  PeaVy 
which  is  a thick-leav’d  Plant  about  four  Foot 
high,  full  of  Prickles  all  over.  That  which  they 
call  the  Pear  grows  at  the  Extremity  of  the 
Leaf.  It’s  a good  Fruit,  much  eaten  by  the 
Indians  and  others. 

There  are  Popes  Headsy  as  we  call  them,  on 
the  Main,  They  are  a Plant  or  Shrub  growing 
like  a Mole-hill,  and  full  of  Spurs  a Span  long, 
fharp,  thick  and  hard,  with  a black  Point. 
They  make  a very  good  Fence,  galling  the  Feet 
and  Legs  of  any  who  come  among  them. 

They  have  Sugar-Canes  on  the  IJihmus\  but 
the  Indians  make  no  other  ufe  of  them,  than  to 
chew  them  and  fuck  out  the  Juice. 

There  is  on  the  IJlandsy  a Tree  which  is  called 
Manchinely  and  its  Fruit  the  Manchinel  Apple. 
’Tis  in  Smell  and  Colour  like  a lovely  pleafant 
Apple,  fmall  and  fragrant,  but  of  a poifonous 
[91]  Nature;  for  if  any  eat  of  any  Living  Crea- 
ture that  has  happen’d  to  feed  on  that  Fruit, 
they  are  poifoned  thereby,  tho’  perhaps  not 
mortally.  The  Trees  grow  in  green  Spots ; they 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


101 


are  low,  with  a large  Body,  fpreading  out  and 
full  of  Leaves.  I have  heard  that  the  Wood  hath 
been  us’d  in  fine  carv’d  or  inlay ’d  Works;  for 
it  is  delicately  grain’d.  But  there  is  danger  in 
cutting  it,  the  very  Sap  being  fo  poifonous,  as 
to  blifter  the  part  which  any  of  the  Chips  ftrike 
upon  as  they  fly  ofl.  A French-man  of  our 
Company  lying  under  one  of  thefe  Trees,  in 
one  of  the  Samballoes,  to  refrefh  himfelf,  the 
Rain-water  trickling  down  thence  on  his  Head 
and  Breaft,  bliftered  him  all  over,  as  if  he  had 
been  beftrewed  with  CantharidesJ^  His  Life  was 
faved  with  much  difficulty ; and  even  when 
cured,  there  remained  Scars,  like  thofe  after 
the  Small- Pox. 

The  Maho  Tree,  which  grows  here  is  about  as  Maho  Tree, 
big  as  an  Afh.  Another  fort  of  Maho^  which  is 
more  common  is  fmaller,  and  grows  in  moift 
fwampy  Places,  by  the  fides  of  Rivers,  or  near 
the  Sea.  Its  Bark  is  [92]  ragged  like  tattered 

* Ringrose,  p.  44,  says  that,  while  bathing  in  the  pond  from 
which  the  ship’s  water-casks  were  being  filled,  at  Cayboa 
Island,  north  of  Panama,  “as  I was  washing  my  self,  and 
standing  under  a Manzanzl/a-txee,  a small  shower  of  rain 
hapned  to  fall  on  the  tree,  and  from  thence  dropped  on  my 
skin.  These  drops  caused  me  to  break  out  all  over  my  body 
into  red  spots,  of  which  I was  not  well  for  the  space  of  a week 
after.’’  In  the  History  of  the  Bucaniers  (London,  Malthus, 

1684),  p.  181,  it  is  said  that  “ the  Tree  called  Mancanzlla,  or 
the  Dwarf  Apple,  is  found  here,  whose  Fruit  is  of  a most 
venemous  quality,  for  being  eaten  by  any  Person,  immediately 
he  changeth  colour,  and  is  taken  with  such  a thirst,  that  no 
water  can  quench,  and  within  a little  dies  perfectly  mad.  Yea, 
if  a Fish  eat  of  it  (as  sometimes  they  do)  it  is  poisonous.’’ 

The  sap  of  the  manchineel  is  very  injurious  to  the  eyes,  but 
otherwise  not  as  dangerous,  at  least  not  to  persons  in  good 
health,  as  the  above  would  imply. 


102 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Calabafh 

Tree. 


Canvafs ; if  you  lay  hold  on  a piece  of  it,  'twill 
rip  off  in  Strings  to  the  top  of  the  Tree ; the 
Strings  are  of  a great  length,  flender,  and  very 
ftrong.  Ropes  are  made  of  it  for  Cables,  and 
Rigging  for  fmall  Veffels.  The  way  the  Indians 
order  it,  is  thus:  They  ftrip  off  the  Bark  in 
great  flakes : Out  of  them  they  draw  greater  or 
leffer  Strings  as  they  pleafe.  Thefe  they  beat 
and  clean,  and  twifl  into  Threads  and  Cords,  by 
rolling  them  between  the  Palm  of  the  Hand, 
and  the  top  of  the  Knee  or  Thigh,  as  our  Shoo- 
makers  twift  their  Ends,  but  much  quicker.  Of 
thefe  they  make  Nets  for  Fifhing,  but  only  for 
great  Fifh  as  Tarpoms,  or  the  like. 

The  Tree  which  bears  the  Calabafh  is  fhort 
and  thick,  the  Calabafh  grows  up  and  down 
among  the  Boughs,  as  our  Apples  do.  It  is  of  a 
Globular  figure,  the  out-flde  of  it  an  hard  Shell, 
holding  the  quantity  of  2,  3,  4,  or  5 Quarts. 
Thefe  Shells  the  Indians  ufe  as  Veffels  for 
many  occafions.  There  are  two  forts  of  thefe 
Trees,  but  the  difference  is  chiefly  in  the  Fruit ; 
that  of  the  one  being  fweet,  [93]  the  other 
bitter.  The  Subfiance  of  both  is  Spongy  and 
Juicy.  That  of  the  fweeter  fort  does  yet  incline 
to  a tart,  fourifh  Taft.  The  Indians,  however, 
eat  them  frequently  in  a March,  tho'  they  are 
not  very  delightful.  They  only  fuck  out  the 
Juice,  and  fpit  out  the  reft.  The  bitter  fort  is 
not  eatable,  but  is  very  Medicinal.  They  are 
good  in  Tertian’s;  and  a Decodtion  of  them  in  a 
Clyfter  is  an  admirable  Specifick  in  the  Tortions 
of  the  Guts  or  dry  Gripes.  The  Calabafh  Shells 
are  almoft  as  hard  as  thofe  of  the  Coco-uvX^,  but 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


103 


not  half  fo  thick.  The  Darien  Calabafh  is 
painted,  and  much  efteem’d  by  the  Spaniards, 

There  are  Gourds  alfo  which  grow  creeping  Gourds. 
along  the  Ground,  or  climbing  up  Trees  in  great 
quantities,  like  Pompions  or  Vines.  Of  thefe 
alfo  there  are  two  Sorts,  a Sweet  and  a Bitter : 

The  Sweet  eatable,  but  not  defirable ; the  Bitter 
medicinal  in  the  Pafjio  Iliaca,  Tertian’s,  Coftive- 
nefs,  &c,  taken  in  a Clyfler.  But  the  Indians 
value  both  forts  chiefly  for  their  Shells ; and  the 
larger  fort  of  thefe  ferve  them  by  way  of  Pails 
and  Buck-[94]ets,  as  Calabafhes  do  for  Difhes, 

Cups  and  Drinking- Veff els. 

They  have  a Plant  alfo  which  is  of  good  ufe  SUk-Gra/s. 
to  them,  call’d  by  us  Silk-Gra/s;  tho’  ’tis  indeed 
a kind  of  Flag.  It  grows  in  great  quantities  in 
moiffc  Places  on  the  fides  of  Hills.  The  Roots 
are  knobbed,  and  fhoot  out  into  Leaves  like  a 
Sword-blade,  as  thick  as  ones  Hand  in  the 
middle  of  the  Leaf  towards  the  Root,  thinner 
towards  the  Edges  and  the  top ; where  it  ends 
in  a fharp  Point,  altogether  like  our  Flags,  fave 
that  the  Leaf  is  much  broader,  and  a yard  or 
two  in  length,  and  jagged  at  the  Edges  like  a 
Saw  or  fome  Reap-hooks.  The  Indians  cut 
thefe  Leaves  when  of  a convenient  Growth,  and 
having  dried  them  well  in  the  Sun,  they  beat 
them  into  Strings  like  fine  Flax,  extraordinary 
ftrong,  beyond  any  of  our  Flax  or  Hemp : For 
the  Leaf  it  felf  feems  to  be  nothing  but  a Con- 
geries of  Strings  inclos’d  with  a Skin  on  each 
fide.  They  twift  thefe  Strings  as  they  do  thofe 
of  the  Maho-\x^%y  and  make  of  them  Ropes  for 
Hammocks,  Cordage  of  all  forts,  but  efpecially 


304 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


a finer  kind  of  Nets  for  fmall  Fifh.  In  Jamaica 
[95]  the  Shoemakers  ufe  this  for  Thread  to  few 
with,  as  being  ftronger  than  any  other.  The 
Spanifh  Women  make  Stockins  of  it,  which  are 
call’d  Silk-grafs  Stockins y and  are  fold  very  dear. 
They  make  of  it  alfo  a kind  of  yellowifh  Lace, 
which  is  much  bought  and  worn  by  the  Mojiefa- 
women  * in  the  We Jl- Indian  Plantations. 

There  grows  here  a Tree  about  the  bignefs 
of  an  Elm,  the  Wood  of  which  is  very  light,  and 
Light-wood,  we  therefore  call  it  Light-wood.  The  Tree  is 
ftreight  and  well-bodied,  and  has  a great  Leaf 
like  a Wall-nut.  A Man  may  carry  on  his  Back 
a great  quantity  of  the  Wood  when  cut  down: 
Its  Subftance  refembles  Cork,  and  is  of  a whitifh 
Colour ; but  the  Grain  of  it  is  rougher  than  Fir, 
or  courfer  yet,  like  that  of  the  Cotton-tr^e.  I 
know  not  whether  it  has  that  fpongy  Elafticity 
that  Cork  has ; yet  I fhould  think  it  an  excellent 
Wood  for  making  Tomkins,  or  Stopples  for  the 
Muzzles  of  great  Guns.  ’Tis  fo  very  light  in 
Water  that  three  or  four  Logs  of  it,  about  as 
thick  as  ones  Thigh  and  about  four  Foot  long, 
fhall  make  a Rafter  on  which  two  or  [96]  three 
Men  may  go  out  to  Sea.  The  Indians  make 
large  Rafters  of  it  upon  occafion,  after  this 
manner:  They  take  Logs  of  this  Wood  not  very 
big,  and  bind  them  together  collaterally  with 
Maho-CordiSy  making  of  them  a kind  of  Floor. 
Then  they  lay  another  Range  of  Logs  acrofs 
thefe,  at  fome  diftance  from  each  other,  and 
peg  them  down  to  the  former  with  long  Pins  of 

^Mestizo,  half-breeds  of  European  fathers.  Commonly 
reputed  beautiful  and  otherwise  attractive. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


105 


Macaw-woo6.]  and  the  Wood  of  the  Float  is  fo 
foft,  and  tenacious  withal,  that  it  eaflly  gives 
admittance  to  the  Peg  upon  driving,  and  clofes 
fail  about  it.  The  Floats,  were  they  boarded, 
would  refemble  our  Dyers-floats  in  the  Thames  at 
London^  and  the  Indians  ufe  them  chiefly  for 
Paffage  crofs  a great  River  where  Canoa’s  or 
other  Trees  are  wanting ; or  for  Fifhing. 

Another  Tree  they  have  which  we  call  White- 
wood,  The  Body  of  it  grows  in  heighth  about 
1 8 or  20  Foot,  like  a large  Willow,  and  about  as 
thick  as  ones  Thigh.  The  Leaf  is  like  Senna, 
very  fmall.  The  Wood  is  very  hard,  clofe  and 
ponderous,  and  exceeding  White,  beyond  any 
European  Wood  that  ever  I faw,  and  of  a [97] 
very  fine  Grain : So  that  I cannot  but  think  it 
would  be  very  good  for  inlaying,  or  other 
Cabinet-work.  I never  faw  this  Tree  any 
where  but  in  this  I Jihmus, 

They  have  Tamarinds  here  of  the  brown  fort, 
and  good,  but  not  well  Manur’d.  The  Tree  is  a fair 
fpreading  one,  and  very  large  of  the  kind.  The 
Tree  grows  ufually  in  a fandy  Soil,  near  a River. 

The  Tree  alfo  that  bears  the  LocuJi-ixm.t, 
grows  here.  The  Wild  fort  is  found  in  great 
abundance,  ’tis  not  much  unlike  the  Tamarind. 

They  have  a Bajiard- Cinnamon  alfo,  bearing  a 
Cod  fhorter  than  a Bean-cod,  but  thicker,  it 
grows  only  on  the  Main. 

Bamhoes  grow  here  but  too  plentifully,  like 
a Briar,  whole  Copfes  of  them.  The  Branches 
or  Canes  grow  in  cluffcers  20  or  30  or  more  of 
them  from  one  Root,  and  guarded  with  Prickles. 
They  render’  the  Places  where  they  grow 


White- 

wood. 


Tamarind. 


Locujl- 

Tree. 

Bajlard- 

Cimiamon. 

Bamboes. 


106 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Hollow- 

Bamboes. 


Mangrove. 


almoft  impaffable,  which  are  generally  fwampy 
Grounds,  or  the  fides  of  Rivers.  They  are 
found  moftly  on  the  Main,  the  IJlands  having 
only  fome  few  of  them. 

[98]  The  Hollow  Bamboes  are  on  the  Main  only. 
They  grow  twenty  or  thirty  Foot  in  heighth, 
and  as  thick  as  ones  Thigh.  They  have  Knots 
all  along  at  the  dillance  of  about  a Foot  and  an 
half.  All  the  Space  from  Knot  to  Knot  is  hol- 
low, and  of  the  Capacity  ufually  of  a Gallon  or 
more,  and  thefe  are  ferviceable  on  many  Occa- 
iions.  The  Leaves  of  this  Shrub  are  like  Eldern- 
leaves,  in  a Clufter  at  the  top  of  each  Cane, 
and  thefe  alfo  grow  thick  together  in  Copfes. 

Mangrove-Tve^s  grow  out  of  the  Water,  both 
in  the  Iflands  and  the  Main,  rifmg  from  feveral 
Roots  like  Stilts  entangled  one  among  another. 
The  Roots  or  Stumps  appear  fome  Feet  above 
Water,  riling  from  a pretty  depth  alfo  from 
under  the  Surface  of  it,  and  at  length  they 
unite  all  together.  Arbour- wife,  into  the  Body 
of  a lufty  tall  Tree,  of  a Foot  or  two  Diameter. 
There  is  fcarce  any  palling  along  where  thefe 
Trees  grow,  the  Roots  of  them  are  fo  blended 
together.  The  Bark  of  the  Mangroves  that 
grows  in  Salt  Water  is  of  a red  Colour,  and  is 
us’d  for  tanning  of  Leather.  I have  fome 
Reafon  to  [99]  think  that  the  Tree  from  whence 
the  Peruvian  or  Jefuits  Bark  is  fetcht  is  of  the 
Mangrove  kind;  * for  when  I was  laft  at  Arica  in 
Peru,  I faw  a Caravan  of  about  20  Mules  with 
this  Bark  juft  come  in,  and  then  unlading  at  a 

* Except  that  the  bark  of  both  is  used  in  medicine,  the  two 
are  nowise  related. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


107 


Store-houfe.  One  of  our  Company,  who  fpake 
Spanifh,  ask’d  a Spaniard  who  guided  the  Drove, 
from  whence  he  fetch’d  that  Bark?  He 
anfwered,  from  a great  frefh  Water  Lake  behind 
a Mountain  a great  way  within  Land;  at  the 
fame  time  pointing  at  a very  high  Ridge  of 
Hills  we  faw  at  a great  di  fiance  from  us,  and 
the  Sea.  Being  further  examined  as  to  the  Tree 
it  grew  on,  he  fo  defcrib’d  it,  by  thefe  intangled 
Stilts,  and  other  Particulars,  that  our  Interpreter 
laid  to  him.  Sure  it  muft  be  a Mangrove-Tr^^X 
The  Spaniard  anfwer’d.  Yes,  a frefh-water 
Mangrove : Yet  he  faid  it  was  a very  fmall  Tree, 
which  the  Mangrove  is  not,  unlefs  this  fhould 
be  a Dwarf  kind  of  it.  We  brought  away  with 
us  feveral  Bundles  of  this  Bark,  and  I found  it 
to  be  the  right  fort,  by  the  frequent  ufe  I 
made  of  it  in  Virginia  and  elfewhere;  and  I 
have  fome  of  it  now  by  me. 

[lOo]  They  have  two  forts  of  Pepper ^ the  one  Pepper.’*^ 
called  Bell-Pepper,  the  other  Bird-Pepper,  and 
great  quantities  of  each,  much  ufed  by  the 
Indians,  Each  fort  grows  on  a Weed,  or  Shrub- 
by Bufh  about  a Yard  high.  The  Bird- Pepper 
has  the  fmaller  Leaf,  and  is  by  the  Indians 
better  efleemed  than  the  other,  for  they  eat  a 
great  deal  of  it. 

There  is  on  the  Main  a Red  fort  of  Wood  that  Red  IVood.t 
might  be  of  good  ufe  for  Dyers.  It  grows 
moflly  towards  the  North- Sea  Coaft,  upon  a 
River  that  runs  towards  the  Samballoes,  about 
two  Miles  from  the  Sea-fhore.  I faw  there 


* Capsicum,  or  chillies. 

t Logwood,  also'  known  as  Campeachy  wood. 


108 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Potato's. 

Ya?ns. 

Cajfava. 


great  quantities  of  thefe  Trees : They  are  thirty 
or  forty  Foot  high,  about  as  big  as  ones  Thigh, 
and  the  out-fide  is  all  along  full  of  Cavities  or 
Notches  in  the  Bark.  When  the  Wood  is  cut, 
it  appears  of  a Yellowifh  Red.  With  this,  and 
a kind  of  Earth  which  they  have  up  the  Coun- 
try, the  Indians  die  Cottons  for  their  Hammocks 
and  Gowns.  I tried  a little  of  it,  which  upon 
boiling  two  Hours  in  fair  Water,  turn’d  it  Red 
as  Blood.  I dipt  therein  a piece  of  Cotton, 
which  it  died  of  a good  Red ; and  when  I wafh’d 
it,  it  turn’d  [loi]  but  a little  paler,  which  I im- 
puted to  the  want  only  of  fomething  to  fix  the 
Colour;  for  no  wafhing  could  fetch  out  the 
Tindture.  ’Twas  a bright  and  gloffy  Red,  very 
lively. 

The  Indians  have  feveral  Roots  which  they 
plant ; efpecially  Potato  Sy  which  they  roaft  and 
eat. 

They  do  the  fame  alfo  by  YamSy  of  which 
they  have  two  forts,  a White  and  a Purple. 

They  have  a Root  call’d  Caffavay  not  much 
unlike  a Parfnip.  There  are  two  forts  alfo  of 
thefe,  a Sweet  and  a Poi/onous.  The  Sweet  Sort 
they  roaft  and  eat  as  they  do  Potato' s or  Yams, 
Of  the  Poi/onous  they  make  Bread,  having  firfl 
prefs’d  out  the  Juice,  which  is  noxious.  Part 
of  the  remaining  Subftance  they  grate  to  a 
Powder;  and  having  a Baking-ftone  or  Trivet 
fet  over  a Fire,  they  ftrew  the  Flower  over  the 
hot  Stone  gradually,  which  bakes  it  all  to  a 
Cake,  the  bottom  hard-bak’d  and  brown,  the 
reft  rough  and  white,  like  our  Oat-cakes ; they 
ufe  to  hang  them  on  the  Houfes  or  Hedges, 


hl^accc 


n'ai 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


109 


where  they  dry  and  grow  crifp.  In  Jamaica 
they  nfe  them  fre-[io2]quently  infbead  of  Bread; 
and  fo  in  other  of  the  Weji-Indian  Iflands, 

Thefe  Indians  have  Tobacco  among  them.  It 
grows  as  the  Tobacco  in  Virginia,  but  is  not  fo 
flrong : Perhaps  for  want  of  tranfplanting  and 
manuring,  which  the  Indians  don’t  well  under- 
ftand ; for  they  only  raife  it  from  the  Seed  in 
their  Plantations.  When  'tis  dried  and  cured 
they  flrip  it  from  the  Stalks ; and  laying  two  or 
three  Leaves  upon  one  another,  they  roll  up  all 
together  fide-ways  into  a long  Roll,  yet  leaving 
a little  hollow.  Round  this  they  roll  other 
Leaves  one  after  another,  in  the  fame  manner 
but  clofe  and  hard,  till  the  Roll  be  as  big  as 
ones  Wrifl,  and  two  or  three  Feet  in  length. 
Their  way  of  Smoaking  when  they  are  in  Com- 
pany together  is  thus : A Boy  lights  one  end  of 
a Roll  and  burns  it  to  a Coal,  wetting  the  part 
next  it  to  keep  it  from  wafting  too  faft.  The 
End  fo  lighted  he  puts  into  his  Mouth,  and 
blows  the  Smoak  through  the  whole  length  of 
the  Roll  into  the  Face  of  every  one  of  the  Com- 
pany or  Council,  tho’  there  be  2 or  300  of  them. 
Then  they,  fitting  in  their  ufual  Pofture  upon 
[103]  Forms,  make,  with  their  Hands  held  hol- 
low together,  a kind  of  Funnel  round  their 
Mouths  and  Nofes.  Into  this  they  receive  the 
Smoak  as  ’tis  blown  upon  them,  fnuffing  it  up 
greedily  and  ftrongly  as  long  as  ever  they  are 
able  to  hold  their  Breath,  and  feeming  to  blefs 
themfelves,  as  it  were,  with  the  Refrefhment 
it  gives  them'. 


Tobacco. 


Indian 
way  of 
Smoaking. 


110 


WAFER^S  DARIEN 


Pecary. 


[104]  Of  the  Animals;  and  firft  of  Beafts 
and  Reptiles. 

The  Variety  of  Beafts  in  this  Country  is  not 
very  great;  but  the  Land  is  fo  fertile, 
that  upon  clearing  any  confiderable  part 
of  the  Woods  it  would  doubtlefs  afford  excellent 
Pafture,  for  the  maintaining  black  Cattle, 
Swine,  or  whatever  other  Beafts  ’tis  ufual  to 
bring  out  of  Europe  into  thefe  Climates. 

The  Country  has  of  its  own  a kind  of  Hog, 
which  is  call’d  Pecary,  not  much  unlike  a Vir- 
ginia Hog.  ’Tis  black,  and  has  little  fhort  Legs, 
yet  is  pretty  nimble.  It  has  one  thing  very 
ftrange,  that  the  Navel  is  not  upon  the  Belly, 
but  the  Back : And  what  is  more  ftill,  if  upon 
killing  a Pecary  the  Navel  be  not  cut  away  from 
the  Carkafs  within  three  or  four  Hours  after  at 
fartheft,  ’twill  fo  taint  all  the  Flefh,  as  not  only 
to  render  it  [105]  unfit  to  be  eaten,  but  make  it 
ftink  infufferably.  Elfe  ’twill  keep  frefh  fev- 
eral  Days,  and  is  very  good  wholefome  Meat, 
nourifhing  and  well-tafted.  The  Indians  barbe- 
cue it,  when  they  would  keep  any  of  it  longer : 
The  manner  in  which  they  do  it  I fhall  defcribe 
elfewhere.  Thefe  Creatures  ufually  herd 
together,  and  range  about  in  Droves;  and  the 


WAFER^S  DARIEN 


111 


Indians  either  hunt  them  down  with  their  Dogs, 
and  fo  ftrike  them  with  their  Lances,  or  elfe 
fhoot  them  with  their  Arrows,  as  they  have 
opportunity. 

The  Warree  is  another  kind  of  Wild- Hog  they  Warree. 
have,  which  is  alfo  very  good  Meat.  It  has 
little  Ears,  but  very  great  Tusks;  and  the  Hair 
or  Briftles  ’tis  cover’d  with,  are  long,  ftrong 
and  thickfet,  like  a courfe  Furr  all  over  its 
Body.  The  Warree  is  fierce,  and  fights  with 
the  Pecary,  or  any  other  Creature  that  comes  in 
his  way.  The  Indians  hunt  thefe  alfo  as  the 
other,  and  manage  their  Flefh  the  fame  way, 
except  only  as  to  what  concerns  the  Navel ; the 
fingularity  of  which  is  peculiar  to  the  Pecary, 

[io6]  They  have  confiderable  ftore  of  Deer  Deer. 
alfo,  refembling  moft  our  Red  Deer  \ but  thefe 
they  never  hunt  nor  kill ; nor  will  they  ever  eat 
of  their  Flefh,  tho’  ’tis  very  good;  but  we  were 
not  fhy  of  it.  Whether  it  be  out  of  Superffci- 
tion,  or  for  any  other  Reafon  that  they  forbear 
them,  I know  not:  But  when  they  faw  fome  of 
our  Men  killing  and  eating  of  them,  they  not 
only  refus’d  to  eat  with  them,  but  feem’d  dif- 
pleas’d  with  them  for  it.  Yet  they  prefer ve 
the  Homs  of  thefe  Deer,  fetting  them  up  in 
their  Houf es ; but  they  are  fuch  only  as  they 
fhed,  for  I never  faw  among  them  fo  much  as 
the  Skin  or  Head  of  any  of  them,  that  might 
fhew  they  had  been  kill’d  by  the  Indians',  and 
they  are  too  nimble  for  the  Warree,  if  not  a 
Match  for  him. 

The  Dogs  they  have  are  fmall,  not  well-fhap’d.  Dogs, 
their  Hair  rough  and  ftragling,  like  our 


112 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Rabbits, 


Monkeys, 


Mungrels.  They  ferve  only  to  bark  and  ftart  the 
Game,  or  by  their  barking  give  notice  to  the 
Hunters  to  fhoot  their  Arrows.  They  will  run 
about  in  this  manner  from  Morning  to  Night; 
but  are  fuch  meer  whiffling  Curs,  that  of  2 or 
300  [107]  Beafts  ftarted  in  a Day,  they  fhall  fel- 
dom  kill  above  two  or  three ; and  thefe  not  by 
running  them  down,  but  by  getting  them  at  a 
Bay  and  befetting  them,  till  the  Hunters  can 
come  up  with  them.  Large  ftrong  Dogs  would 
make  better  Work  here;  and  it  might  be  a very 
acceptable  Thing  to  the  Indians  to  tranfport 
hither  a Breed  of  fuch : But  then  they  muft  keep 
to  their  Houfes,  or  they  v/ould  be  in  danger  of 
running  Wild,  in  this  Country. 

Here  are  Rabbits,  call’d  by  our  Englifh,  Indian 
Conies.  They  are  as  large  as  our  Hares; 
but  I know  not  that  this  Country  has  any 
Hares.  Thefe  Rabbits  have  no  Tails,  and 
but  little  fhort  Ears;  and  the  Claws  of  their 
Feet  are  long.  They  lodge  in  the  Roots  of 
Trees,  making  no  Burrows;  and  the  Indians 
hunt  them,  but  there  is  no  great  plenty  of  them. 
They  are  very  good  Meat,  and  eat  rather 
moifter  than  ours. 

There  are  great  Droves  of  Monkeys,  fome  of 
them  white,  but  moft  of  them  black ; fome  have 
Beards,  others  are  beardlefs.  They  are  of  a 
middle  Size,  yet  extraordinary  fat  at  the  [108] 
dry  Seafon,  when  the  Fruits  are  ripe;  and  they 
are  very  good  Meat,  for  we  ate  of  them  very 
plentifully.  The  Indians  were  fhy  of  eating 
them  for  a while ; but  they  foon  were  perfuaded 
to  it,  by  feeing  us  feed  on  them  fo  heartily.  In 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


113 


the  Rainy  Seafon  they  have  often  Worms  in 
their  Bowels.  I have  taken  a handful  of  them 
out  of  one  Monkey  we  cut  open ; and  fome  of 
them  7 or  8 Foot  long.  They  are  a very  wag- 
gifh  kind  of  Monkey,  and  plaid  a thoufand 
an  tick  Tricks  as  we  march’d  at  any  time  through 
the  Woods,  skipping  from  Bough  to  Bough,  with 
the  young  ones  hanging  at  the  old  ones  Back, 
making  Faces  at  us,  chattering,  and,  if  they  had 
opportunity,  piffing  down  purpofely  on  our 
Heads.  To  pafs  from  top  to  top  of  high  Trees, 
whofe  Branches  are  a little  too  far  afunder  for 
their  Leaping,  they  will  fometimes  hang  down 
by  one  anothers  Tails  in  a Chain ; and  fwinging 
in  that  manner,  the  lowermoft  catches  hold  of  a 
Bough  of  the  other  Tree,  and  draws  up  the  reft 
of  them.* 

[109]  Here  are  no  Bullocks,  Horfes,  Affes,  No  Euro- 
Sheep,  Goats,  or  other  fuch  Beafls  as  we  have  for  Cattel. 
Food  or  Service.  They  are  exceedingly  pefter’d 
with  Mice  and  Rats,  which  are  moftly  Grey ; and  Rats  and 
a Brood  of  Cats  therefore  to  deftroy  thefe,  might 
be  as  acceptable  a Prefent  to  them  as  better  Cats  much 
Dogs  for  their  Hunting,  w'hen  I left  the  IJihmus, 

2 of  the  Indians  who  came  aboard  the  fame  Veffel 
at  the  Samballoe's,  went  a Cruifing  with  us 
towards  the  Corn-IJlands  and  Cartagene : And 
when  they  were  difpos’d  to  return,  and  we  were 
fludying  to  oblige  ’em  with  fome  Prefent,  one 
of  them  fpied  a Cat  we  had  aboard,  and  beg’d 

* The  “ Member  of  the  Royal  Society  ” in  the  second  edition 
describes  the  black  and  satyr  monkeys,  of  whom  the  latter 
‘ ‘ are  bigger  than  the  last  and  black  like  them,  with  very  long 
Beards ; these  are  very  leacherous,  and  often  fall  foul  on  the 
Negro  Women.” 


114 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Infedts  and 
Vermin. 


So  Idler - 
Infedl.t 


Delicious 

Meat. 


it:  Which  we  had  no  fooner  given  him,  but  he 
and  his  Contort,  without  flaying  for  any  other 
Gift,  went  immediately  into  their  Canoa,  and 
padled  off  with  abundance  of  Joy.  They  had 
learnt  the  ufe  of  Cats  while  they  were  aboard.* 

They  have  Snakes,  but  of  what  kind  I don’t 
well  remember ; nor  did  I fee  or  hear  any  Rattle- 
Snakes.  Spiders  they  have  many,  very  large, 
but  not  poifonous.  They  have  Lice  in  their 
Heads;  which  they  feel  out  [no]  with  their 
Fingers,  and  eat  as  they  catch  them. 

There  is  a fort  of  Infedl  like  a Snail  in  great 
plenty  among  the  Samballoe' s,  which  is  call’d 
the  Soldier-lnio,(Si\  but  I don’t  remember  I faw 
any  of  them  upon  the  Main.  The  reafon  of  the 
Name,  is  becaufe  of  the  Colour;  for  one  third 
part  of  his  Body,  about  his  Head,  which  is  out 
of  the  Shell,  is  in  Shape  and  Colour  like  a boil’d 
Shrimp,  with  little  Claws,  and  2 larger  like 
thofe  of  a Crab.  That  part  within  the  Shell, 
the  Tail  efpecially,  is  eatable,  and  is  good  Food, 
very  well  tailed  and  delicious,  like  Marrow. 
We  thrufl  a Skuer  through  this  part,  and  roafl 
a pretty  many  of  them  in  a row.  The  forepart 
is  bony,  and  ufelefs.  They  feed  upon  the 
Ground,  eating  what  falls  from  Trees:  And 
they  have  under  the  Chin  a little  Bag,  into 
which  they  put  a referve  of  Food.  Befide  this, 
they  have  in  them  a little  Sand  Bag,  which  mufl 

*The  “Member  of  the  Royal  Society”  describes  twenty- 
nine  beasts,  of  which  No.  27  is  “ The  Sloath.  Is  a very  slow 
paced  Animal,  taking  a whole  Day  in  going  fifty  Paces:  he  is 
about  the  bigness  of  a middling  Fox ; living  on  Trees,  eating 
the  Leaves,  but  never  drinks.” 

t A variety  of  the  hermit  crab. 


WAFER^S  DARIEN 


115 


always  be  taken  out  when  they  are  to  be  eaten. 
This  Bag  is  commonly  pretty  full  of  Sand : And 
Concbs  and  Welks,  and  other  Shell-fifh,  have 
nfnally  Sand  in  a Vef-[iii]fel  that  runs  the 
length  of  the  Body,  in  manner  of  a Gut; 
which  we  are  forc’d  to  take  out,  for  elfe  they 
would  be  gritty  in  ones  Teeth.  If  thefe  Soldiers 
eat  of  any  of  the  Manchineel-Ar^^lQS  which  drop 
from  the  Trees,  their  Flefh  becomes  fo  infected 
with  that  virulent  Juice,  as  to  poifon  in  a manner 
thofe  who  eat  of  it:  And  we  have  had  fome  of 
our  Company  very  fick  by  eating  fuch  as  had 
fed  on  Manchineel\  but  affer  a while  ’twould 
wear  off  again,  without  further  damage.  The 
Oil  of  thefe  Infedls  is  a mofh  Soveraign  Remedy 
for  any  Sprain  or  Contufion.  I have  found  it 
fo,  as  many  others  have  done  frequently : The 
Indians  ufe  it  that  way  very  fuccefsfully,  and 
many  of  the  Privateers  in  the  Wed-Indies : And 
our  Men  fought  them  as  much  for  the  Oil,  as 
for  the  fake  of  eating  them.  The  Oil  is  of  a 
yellow  Colour,  like  Wax,  but  of  the  Confiftency 
of  Palm-Oil. 

On  the  Samballoe' s I think  there  are  alfo  Land- 
Crabs  ^ tho’  but  few : But  in  the  Caribbee-V\d,n^^, 
among  which  I have  been  Cruifing,  and  efpe- 
cially  on  Anguilla^  they  are  very  numerous,  and 
fome  very  large,  as  big  as  the  [112]  largeft  Sea- 
Crabs  that  are  fold  at  London,  They  have  them 
alfo  in  other  of  the  Wejl-India  Iflands ; but  on 
Anguilla  they  fwarm ; and  a little  Ifland  near  it 
has  fuch  multitudes  of  them,  that  ’tis  call’d 
Ifland.  ' They  are  excellent  good  Meat, 
and  are  the  main  Support  of  the  Inhabitants, 


Sand-bag. 


Poifonous  if 
fed  with 
Manchineel. 


The  Oil 
an  excellent 
Salve, 


Land- 

Crabs, 

where. 


Anguilla, 

Cra<5-Ifland. 
Good  Meat, 


116 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


fatten’d 

with 

Potato's. 

A lligators. 


Guano' s. 


Lizards.* 


who  range  about  a Crabbing,  as  they  call  it. 
After  a Shower  of  Rain  they  will  come  abroad ; 
and  then  is  the  befl  time  to  look  out  for  them. 
They  live  in  Holes  or  Burrows  like  Rabbits, 
which  they  dig  for  themfelves  with  their  Claws. 
When  they  are  upon  the  March  they  never  go 
about,  nor  turn  their  Backs,  but  crawl  over  any 
thing  that  lies  in  their  way,  guarding  with  their 
great  Claws,  while  they  creep  with  the  small 
ones ; and  whatever  they  lay  hold  of  they  pinch 
very  feverely.  The  Inhabitants  of  fome  of 
thefe  Ifles,  when  they  take  any  of  them,  put 
them  for  three  or  four  Days  into  a piece  of 
Potato-groMn^,  to  fatten  them ; for  which  they 
are  faid  to  eat  much  the  better. 

Alligator  s and  Guano' s,  which  are  alfo  very 
good  Meat,  efpecially  the  Tail  of  the  Alligator^ 
I have  eaten  in  [113]  feveral  Parts  of  the  Weft- 
Indies  \ but  I don’t  remember  my  feeing  either 
of  them  in  the  Ifthmus.  The  Guano  is  all  over 
very  good  Meat,  prefer’d  to  a Pullet  or  Chick- 
en, either  for  the  Meat  or  Broth.  Their  Eggs 
alfo  are  very  good;  but  thofe  of  the  Alligator 
have  too  much  of  a musky  Flavour,  and  fome- 
times  fmell  very  ftrong  of  it.  There  are  up 
and  down  the  Ifthmus  a great  many  Lizards, 

*The  “ Member  of  the  Royal  Society  ” describes  six  lizards 
of  which  No.  5 is  “ The  House  Lizzard.  Is  a friendly  Animal  ’ 
for  if  it  sees  you  in  danger  of  any  hurtful  Creature  whilst 
asleep,  it  will  come  and  awake  you. 

“ 6.  The  B lew-tail' d Lizzard.  Is  not  thicker  than  a 
Swan-quill,  and  but  three  Inches  long ; its  body  smooth  and 
squarish ; these  are  said  to  be  poysonous,  and  thirst  after  the 
Blood  of  breeding  Women:  and  they  report,  that  if  a Woman, 
or  but  her  cloaths  do  touch  this  Creature,  she  will  afterwards 
prove  barren.” 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


117 


green,  and  red-fpeckled ; but  thofe  in  the 
Swampy  Land  and  Thickets  look  more  black 
or  rnfty.  They  are  none  of  them  large ; gen- 
erally lefs  than  a Span.  I never  faw  the  Indians 
eat  of  them.  They  are  pretty  innocent  familiar 
Creatures,  and  the  Indians  fuifer  them  to  creep 
up  and  down  their  Houfes. 

They  have  Frogs  and  Toads,  and  other 
fmaller  Infedts ; but  I took  no  particular  Notice 
of  them. 


118 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Chicaly- 

Chicaly. 


QuamA 


[114]  The  Birds,  and  flying  Infedts. 

They  have  feveral  forts  of  Birds,  fome  of 
Kinds  unknown  to  us;  and  remarkable 
both  for  their  Beauty,  and  the  good 
Relifh  of  their  Flefh. 

There  is  one  ffcately  kind  of  Land-bird,  pretty 
common  among  the  Woods  on  the  IJlkmus^ 
which  is  call’d  by  the  Indians  Chicaly-Chicaly . 
Its  Noife  is  fomewhat  like  a Cuckow’s,  but 
f harper  and  quicker.  ’Tis  a large  and  long 
Bird,  and  has  a long  Tail,  which  he  carries 
upright  like  a Dunghill  Cock.  His  Feathers 
are  of  great  variety  of  fine  lively  Colours,  red, 
blue,  &c.  The  Indians  make  a fort  of  Aprons,* 
fometimes,  of  the  Feathers  which  grow  on  his 
Back;  but  thefe  they  feldom  wear.  This  Bird 
keeps  moftly  on  the  Trees,  flying  from  one  to 
another,  and  but  rarely  to  the  Ground.  He 
feeds  on  Fruit.  His  Flefh  is  blackifh,  and  of  a 
courfe  Grain,  yet  pretty  good  Meat. 

[i  15]  The  Quam  is  alfo  a large  and  long  Land- 
bird.  He  feeds  alfo  upon  Fruits,  and  flies  up 
and  down  the  Trees.  His  Wings  are  of  a Dun 

* Ceremonial  or  festival  garments. 

t Dampier,  p.  19,  says  that,  on  the  day  after  he  parted  from 
Wafer,  “ This  evening  I killed  a Quaum,  a large  Bird  as  big 
as  a Turkey,  wherewith  we  treated  our  Guides.  ’ ’ 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


119 


Colour,  but  bis  Tail  is  very  dark,  fhort,  ftumpy, 
and  upright.  This  Bird  is  much  better  Meat 
than  the  other. 

There  is  alfo  a Ruffet- colour’d  Land-bird,  Anonymous, 
fhap’d  not  unlike  a Partridge;  but  has  a longer 
Neck  and  Legs,  yet  a fhort  Tail.  He  runs  moft 
on  the  Ground,  and  feldom  flies.  His  Flefh  is 
very  good  Meat. 

The  Corrofou  is  a large,  black  Land-bird,  Corro/ou. 
heavy  and  big  as  a Turkey-hen ; but  the  Hen  is 
not  fo  black  as  the  Cock.  The  Cock  has  on  his 
Head  a fine  Crown  or  Comb  of  yellow  Feathers, 
which  he  moves  to  and  fro  as  he  pleafes : He 
has  Gills  alfo  like  a Turkey ; but  the  Hen  has 
neither  Plume  nor  Gills.  They  live  on  the 
Trees,  and  feed  on  Fruits.  They  Sing  or  make 
a Noife  big  and  grofs,  yet  very  fweet  and 
delightful;  efpecially  to  the  Indians^  who  in- 
deavour  to  imitate  them : And  the  Indians  and 
they  will  fometimes  anfwer  one  another  this 
way,  and  the  Indians  dif cover  their  Haunts  by 
it.  The  old  [ii6]  ones  alfo  call  their  young 
ones  by  this  Sound.  The  Flefh  is  fomewhat 
tough,  but  other  wife  very  good  and  well-tafted 
Meat.  The  Indians  either  throw  the  Bones  of 
the  Corrofou  into  the  River,  or  make  a Hole  and 
bury  them,  to  keep  them  from  their  Dogs, 
being  thought  unwholfome  for  the  Dogs  to 
eat;  and  the  Indians  fay  they  will  make  the 
Dogs  run  mad:  Neither  do  the  Englifh  in  the 
Weft- Indies  let  the  Dogs  eat  of  them.  The 
Indians  fhoot  down  all  thefe  Birds  with  their 
Arrows. 

They  have  Parrots  good  ftore,  fome  blue  and  Parrots. 


120 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Parakites. 


Macaw- 

birds. 


fome  green,  for  Shape  and  Size  like  the  gen- 
erality of  the  Parrots  we  have  from  Jamaica. 
There  is  here  great  variety  of  them,  and  they 
are  very  good  Meat. 

They  have  alfo  many  Parakites,  moft  of  them 
Green;  generally  much  the  fame  as  in  other 
Places.  They  don’t  fort  with  the  Parrots,  but 
go  in  large  Flights  by  themfelves. 

Macaw-hix^s  are  here  alfo  in  good  plenty. 
’Tis  fhap’d  not  much  unlike  a Parrot,  but  is  as 
large  again  as  the  biggeft  of  them.  It  has  a 
Bill  like  a Hawk’s;  and  a bufhy  Tail,  with  [i  17] 
two  or  three  long  ftragling  Feathers,  all  Red 
or  Blue : The  Feathers  all  over  the  Body  are  of 
feveral  very  bright  and  lovely  Colours,  Blue, 
Green  and  Red.  The  Pinions  of  the  Wings  of 
fome  of  them  are  all  Red,  of  others  all  Blue, 
and  the  Beaks  yellow.  They  make  a great 
Noife  in  a Morning,  very  hoarfe  and  deep,  like 
Men  who  fpeak  much  in  the  Throat.  The 
Indians  keep  thefe  Birds  tame,  as  we  do  Parrots, 
or  Mag- pies : But  after  they  have  kept  them  clofe 
fome  time,  and  taught  them  to  fpeak  fome 
Words  in  their  Language,  they  fuffer  them  to 
go  abroad  in  the  Day-time  into  the  Woods, 
among  the  wild  ones ; from  whence  they  will  on 
their  own  accord  return  in  the  Evening  to  the 
Indian  s Houfes  or  Plantations,  and  give  notice 
of  their  arrival  by  their  fluttering  and  prating. 
They  will  exadtly  imitate  the  Indian' s Voices, 
and  their  way  of  Singing,  and  they  will  call  the 
Chicaly-Chicaly  in  its  own  Note,  as  exadtly  as  the 
Indians  themfelves,  whom  I have  obferv’d  to  be 
very  expert  at  it.  ’Tis  the  moft  beautiful  and 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


121 


pleafant  Bird  that  ever  I [ii8]  faw;  and  the 
Flefh  is  fweet- tailed  enough,  but  black  and 
tough. 

There  is  alfo  a fort  of  Wood-pecker y with  fuch  Wood- 
a long  flender  Bill  as  that  kind  of  Birds  have.  P^<^ker. 
Thefe  have  ffcrong  Claws,  wherewith  they  climb 
up  and  down  the  Bodies  of  Trees,  and  flick 
very  clofe  to  them.  They  are  pied  like  our 
Mag-pies,  white  and  black;  but  more  finely, 
being  a fmaller  Bird.  The  Flefh  is  of  an  earthy 
unpleafant  Taft.  I tailed  of  them  as  I was 
travelling  with  my  Companions,  for  Hunger 
then  made  us  glad  of  any  thing  of  Food ; but 
the  Indians  don’t  eat  of  them. 

They  have  great  plenty  of  Poultry  tame  about  Dunghil 
their  Houfes,  of  2 forts,  a greater  and  a lefs. 

The  larger  fort  are  much  like  ours,  of  different 
Colours  and  Breed,  as  Copple-crown’d,  the  com- 
mon Dunghil  Cock  and  Hen,  and  of  the  Game 
kind;  tho’  thefe  Indians  don’t  delight  in  Cock- 
fighting  as  thofe  of  Java  do.  The  fmaller  fort 
are  feather’d  about  the  Legs  like  Carrier- 
pigeons,  and  have  very  bufhy  Tails,  which  they 
carry  upright;  and  the  tips  of  the  Wings  are 
generally  black.  This  fmall  fort  keep  a-[ii9] 
part  from  the  other.  They  all  keep  the  fame 
Crowing  Seafon,  before  Day,  as  our  Cocks  do. 

They  are  conflantly  about  the  Houfes,  not  rang- 
ing far  into  the  Woods;  and  both  their  Flefh 
and  their  Eggs  are  as  well- tailed  as  any  we  have 
in  England\  and  they  are  generally  fatter;  for 
the  Indians  give  them  Maiz  good  llore,  which  is 
very  fattening. 

Thefe  are  all  the  kinds  of  Land-birds  I noted 


122 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Small  Birds,  among  them : Though  there  are  many  fmall 
ones  which  I did  not  fo  particularly  obferve; 
and  thefe  generally  very  pretty  and  mufical.* 

About  the  Sambaloes  and  the  other  Iflands,  and 
the  Sea-Coaft,  on  the  North-lide  efpecially, 
Sea-fowl.  there  are  great  numbers  of  Sea-fowl.  The 
South-Sea  Coaffc,  more  to  Windward,  has  many 
of  them  too ; but  whether  it  be  that  the  Bay  of 
Panama  does  not  afford  fo  many  Fifh  to  invite 
them,  for  ’tis  not  near  fo  well-ftock’d  with  Fifh 
as  the  Coaffc  about  the  Samballoes,  there  are  but 
very  few  Sea-fowl  on  the  South-Sea  Coaffc  of  the 
IJihmus^  to  what  there  are  on  the  North-Coaffc; 
Pelican.  and  as  to  Pelicans  particularly,  which  [120]  are 
very  frequent  among  the  Samballoes^  and  all 
along  the  We Jl- India  Coaffcs,  I don’t  remember 
that  I ever  faw  one  of  them  any  where  in  the 
South  Seas. 

*The  “ Member  of  the  Royal  Society  ” describes  118  birds, 
of  which  No.  5 is  “The  Christmas- Bird.  Is  almost  as  big  as  a 
Pidgeon,  it  has  about  the  Throat  many  inch-long  black  Watles; 
it  never  cries  but  in  December  and  begginning  of  January, 
but  then  may  be  heard  a great  way  off.  . . . 

“8.  The  Unicorn-Bird.  Has  a Horn  on  his  Head  above 
two  Inches  long,  which  is  said  to  be  a great  Counter-poyson. 
The  Female  bigger  than  a Swan,  and  the  Male  twice  that 
bigness.  . . . 

“ 20.  The  red-legg’d  Duck.  The  Feet  of  these  when 
roasted  dye  both  Hands  and  Linnen  red. 

“21.  The  crested His  cry  is  like  a Hen  that  has 
lost  its  young.  . . . 

“60.  The  Great  Wide-Mouth.  Is  as  big  as  an  Owl\ 
when  it  gapes  one  may  easily  put  in  ones  fist.  . . . 

“ 67.  The  Little  Tame-Owl.  Its  of  the  bigness  of  a 
Throstle  \ and  plays  with  Men,  making  divers  antick 
Faces.  . . . 

“81.  The  Brown-headed  Parrakeet.  Is  a beautiful 
Bird.” 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


123 


The  Pelican  is  a large  Bird,  with  a great  Beak, 
fhort-legg’d  like  a Goofe;  and  has  a long  Neck, 
which  it  holds  upright  like  a Swan.  The 
Feathers  are  of  dark  Grey;  Tis  Web-footed. 

Under  the  Throat  hangs  a Bag  or  Pouch,  which, 
when  fill’d,  is  as  large  as  both  ones  Fifts.  The 
Snbftance  of  it  is  a thin  Membrane,  of  a fine, 
grey,  afhy  Colour.  The  Seamen  kill  them  for 
the  Sake  of  thefe  Bags,  to  make  Tobacco-pouches 
of  them ; for,  when  dry,  they  will  hold  a Pound 
of  Tobacco;  and  by  a Bullet  hung  in  them,  they 
are  foon  brought  into  Shape.  The  Pelican  flies 
heavy  and  low ; we  find  nothing  but  Fifh  in  his 
Maw,  for  that  is  his  Food.  His  Pouch,  as  well 
as  Stomach,  has  Fifh  found  in  it:  So  that  it 
feems  likely  that  the  Pouch  is  a Bag  intended 
to  keep  a Referve  of  Food.  I have  never  feen 
any  of  the  old  Pelicans  eaten;  but  the  young 
ones  are  faid  to  be  Meat  good  enough,  but  I 
have  never  eaten  of  any  of  them. 

[i2i]  There  are  Cormorants  alfo  among  the  Cormo- 
Samballoesy  which  for  Size  and  Shape  are  like 
Ducks,  but  rather  lefs.  They  are  black,  but 
have  a white  Spot  on  the  Breaft.  Tho’  they  are 
Web-footed,  as  other  Water-fowl  are,  yet  they 
pitch  on  Trees  and  Shrubs  by  the  Water-fide. 

I have  never  heard  of  any  one’s  eating  of  thefe, 
for  their  Flefh  is  thought  to  be  too  courfe  and 
rank. 

There  are  a great  many  Sea-Gulls  alfo  and  Sea-Gulls 
Sea-Pies,  on  that  Coaft;  both  of  them  much  like 
ours,  but  rather  fmaller.  The  Flefh  of  both 
thefe  is  eaten  commonly  enough,  and  ’tis  toler- 
able good  Meat,  but  of  a Fifhy  Taft,  as  Sea- fowl 


124 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Bats. 


Flying 

Infedts. 


Shining  Fly. 


Bees. 


ufually  are.  Yet  to  corredt  this  Tail,  when  we 
kill’d  any  Sea-Gulls,  Sea-Pies,  Boobies,  or  the 
like,  on  any  Shore,  tv'e  us’d  to  make  a Hole  in 
the  hot  Sand,  and  there  bury  them  for  eight  or 
ten  Hours,  with  their  Feathers  on,  and  Guts  in 
them : And  upon  dreffmg  them  afterwards,  we 
found  the  Flefh  tenderer,  and  the  Taft  not  fo 
rank  nor  fifhy. 

There  are  BatSy  on  the  IJihmuSy  the  Bodies  of 
which  are  as  large  as  [122]  Pigeons,  and  their 
Wings  extended  to  a proportionable  length  and 
breadth;  with  Claws  at  the  Joints  of  the  Wings, 
by  which  they  cling  to  any  thing.  They  much 
haunt  old  Houfes  and  deferted  Plantations. 

Of  Flying  Infedts,  befide  the  Moskito’s  or 
Gnats  before-mention ’d,  there  are  up  and  down 
the  IJihmus  Wafps  and  Beetles,  and  Flies  of 
feveral  kinds:  particularly  the  Shining  Fly, 
which  fhines  in  the  Night  like  a Glow-worm; 
and  where  there  are  many  of  them  in  a Thicket, 
they  appear  in  the  Night  like  fo  many  Sparks 
of  Fire. 

They  have  Bees  alfo,  and  confequently  Hony 
and  Wax.  The  Bees  are  of  two  forts;  the  one 
fhort  and  thick,  and  its  Colour  inclining  to  Red ; 
the  other  blackifh,  long  and  (lender.  They  neft 
on  the  tops  and  in  the  holes  of  Trees;  which 
the  Indians  climb,  and  thruft  their  Arms  into 
their  Neft,  to  get  the  Combs.  Their  Arms  will 
be  cover’d  with  Bees,  upon  their  drawing  them 
back;  yet  I never  perceiv’d  they  were  flung  by 
them : And  I have  had  many  of  them  at  a time 
upon  my  naked  Body,  with-[i23]out  being 
flung;  fo  that  I have  been  inclin’d  to  think 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


126 


they  have  no  Stings:  But  that’s  a thing  I never 
examin’d.  The  Indians  fometimes  burn  down 
the  Trees  to  get  at  the  Combs,  efpecially  if  they 
be  high  and  difficult  to  climb.  The  Hony  they  Hony. 
mix  with  Water,  and  drink  it:  But  they  make 
no  ufe  of  the  Wax,  that  ever  I faw ; uiing  for  Wax. 
Candles  a fort  of  light  Wood,  which  they  keep 
in  their  Houfes  for  that  purpofe. 

They  have  Ants  with  Wings,  large  and  long.  Ants. 
as  well  as  thofe  which  are  Reptile  only.  They 
raife  Hillocks  like  ours:  They  fling,  and  are 
very  troublefome ; efpecially  when  they  get  into 
the  Houfes,  as  they  frequently  do.  They 
fwarm  up  and  down  the  Samballoes  and  the  other 
Neighbouring  Ifles,  as  well  as  on  the  IJihmus  it 
felf ; and  there  is  no  lying  down  to  Reft  on  any 
piece  of  Ground  where  they  are.  Neither  do 
the  Indians  care  to  tie  their  Hammocks  to  any 
Trees  near  the  Ant-hills;  for  the  Ants  would 
climb  up  fuch  Trees,  and  foon  get  into  their 
Hammocks. 


126 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Sea-fifh. 


Tarpom. 


Sharks, 


Dog-fifh. 

Cavally. 


[124]  Of  the  Fifh. 

The  North-Sea  Coaft,  as  I intimated,  abounds 
in  Fifh,  and  has  great  variety  of  them. 
Thofe  which  I have  had  the  opportunity 
of  feeing,  are  chiefly  thefe : 

The  Tarpom,  which  is  a large  and  firm  Fifh, 
eating  in  Flakes  like  Salmon  or  Cod.  They  are 
fome  of  50  or  60  Pound  weight  and  upwards. 
One  of  them  afforded  a good  Dinner  once  to 
about  ten  of  us,  as  we  were  cruiflng  towards  the 
Coafl  of  Cartagene\  beflde  a good  quantity  of  Oil 
we  got  out  of  the  Fat. 

Sharks  are  alfo  found  in  thefe  Seas;  tho’  not 
fo  commonly  about  the  Samhalloes,  as  on  other 
of  the  Wejl- India  Coaffcs. 

There  is  a Fifh  there  like  the  Shark,  but 
much  fmaller  and  fweeter  Meat.  Its  Mouth  is 
alfo  longer  and  narrower  than  the  Sharks; 
neither  has  he  more  than  one  Row  of  Teeth. 
Our  Seamen  us’d  to  call  this  the  Dog-fifh. 

[125]  The  Cavally  is  found  among  the  Sambal- 
loes.  ’Tis  a fmall  Fifh,  clean,  long  and  flender, 
much  about  the  fize  of  a Macarel ; a very  fine 
lively  Fifh,  with  a bright,  large  Eye;  and  'tis 
very  good  Meat,  moift  and  well-tafted. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


127 


Old- wives,  whicli  is  a flat  kind  of  Fifli,  and  Old-wives. 
good  Meat,  are  there  alfo. 

They  have  Paracoods  alfo,  which  are  a long  Paracoods. 
and  round  Fifh,  about  as  large  as  a well-grown 
Pike,  but  ufually  much  longer.  They  are  gen- 
erally very  good  Meat;  and  here  efpecially: 

But  there  are  fome  particular  Banks  off  at  Sea, 
where  you  can  take  no  Paracoods  but  what  are 
poifonous.  Whether  it  be  from  fome  particular 
Feed  they  have  there,  or  from  what  other  Caufe, 

I know  not;  but  I have  known  feveral  Men 
poifon’d  with  them,  to  that  degree  as  to  have 
their  Hair  and  Nails  come  off;  and  fome  have 
died  with  eating  them.  The  Antidote  for  this 
is  faid  to  be  the  Back-bone  of  the  Fifh,  dried  and 
beaten  to  a Powder,  and  given  in  any  Liquor. 

I can’t  vouch  for  the  Succefs  of  this  my  f elf; 
but  feveral  have  told  me.  That  they  have  us’d 
it  themf elves,  [126]  when  they  have  found 
themfelves  tick  with  eating  any  Paracood\  but 
that  upon  taking  the  Bone  thus  powder’d,  they 
have  found  no  other  ill  Effedt,  but  only  a Num- 
mednefs  in  their  Limbs,  and  a Weaknefs  for 
fome  time  after.  Some  will  pretend  to  diffcin- 
guifh  a poifonous  Paracood  from  a wholefome 
one,  by  the  Liver;  which  as  foon  as  they  have 
taken  the  Fifh,  they  pull  out  and  taft.  If  it 
tafh  fweet,  they  drefs  and  eat  the  Fifh  without 
any  Fear ; but  if  the  Liver  be  bitter,  or  bite  the 
Tongue  like  Pepper,  they  conclude  the  Fifh  to 
be  naught,  and  throw  it  away. 

There  is  another  fort  of  Fifh  on  the  North- 
Sea  Coaft,  which  our  Sea-men  call  Gar-?ii\i\  Gar-fiih. 
Some  of  them  are  near  two  Foot  long.  They 


128 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Sculpins. 


Stmg-rays, 
Parrot-fifh, 
Snooks, 
Conger- 
Eels,  &c. 

Shell-fifh. 

Conchs. 


have  a long  Bone  on  the  Snout,  of  about  a 3d 
part  the  length  of  the  Body ; and  'tis  very  fharp 
at  the  end.  They  will  glide  along  the  Surface 
of  the  Water  as  fwift  as  a Swallow,  gliding  thus 
on  the  Surface,  and  leaping  out  of  the  Water, 
alternately,  30  or  40  times  together.  They 
move  with  such  a Force,  that,  as  I have  been 
inform’d,  they  will  run  their  Snout  through  the 
[127]  fide  of  a Canoa;  and  ’tis  dangerous  for  a 
Man  who  is  Swimming  to  meet  with  them,  left 
they  ftrike  through  him.  The  Back-bone  looks 
blewifh,  of  a Colour  towards  a Saphire.  The 
Flefh  is  very  good  Meat. 

There  are  Sculpins  alfo,  a Fifh  about  a Foot 
long,  with  Prickles  all  about  him:  They  ftrip 
them  of  their  prickly  Skin,  and  then  drefs  them. 
They  are  very  good  Meat. 

There  are  in  the  North-Sea  many  other  Fifh 
befide  thefe,  as  Sting-rays^  Parrot-jifhy  Snooks^ 
Conger-Eels^  &c.  and  many  others,  probably, 
that  I have  neither  feen  nor  heard  of;  for  ’tis  a 
Sea  very  well  ftor’d  with  Fifh. 

Of  Shell-fifh,  there  are  Conchs  all  along  the 
Samballoes  in  abundance.  Their  Shells  are  very 
large,  winding  within  like  a Snail-fhell;  the 
Mouth  of  the  Shell  is  flat,  and  very  wide,  pro- 
portionably  to  the  bignefs  of  the  Shell.  The 
Colour  of  it  within  is  like  Mother  of  Pearl;  but 
without,  ’tis  courfe  and  rugged.  The  Fifh  is 
flimy,  the  out-parts  of  it  efpecially,  and  mufl 
therefore  be  fcour’d  with  Sand  before  ’tis 
drefs’ d for  Eating.  But  within,  the  Subftance 
is  hard  and  tough;  for  [128]  which  Reafon  they 
beat  them  after  they  have  fcour’d  the  out-fide: 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


129 


But  when  they  have  been  thus  managed,  they 
are  a very  fweet  and  good  Fifh. 

There  are  Periwinkle* s good  ftore  among  the 
Rocks;  which  are  alfo  good  Meat.  We  pick 
them  out  of  the  Shells  with  Pins. 

The  Limpits  alfo  ftick  to  the  Rocks  hereabouts ; 
and  are  rather  better  Meat  than  the  other. 

There  are  no  Oyflers  nor  Lobfbers  on  the 
Coaffc  of  the  IJihmus\  but  a few  Crabs:  and  a 
fort  of  Craw-fifh  among  the  Rocks  of  the  Sambal- 
loesy  as  large  as  fmall  Lobffcers,  but  wanting  the 
two  great  Claws.  Thefe  laft  are  very  delicious 
Meat ; but  the  Sea- Crabs  are  not  very  good. 

There  are  Fifh  in  the  Rivers  alfo  of  the 
IJihmus\  but  I am  not  acquainted  with  many  of 
the  kinds  of  them. 

There  is  one  fort  like  our  Roach,  blackifh 
and  very  bony,  in  length  about  a Foot,  very 
fweet,  firm,  and  well-tafted. 

There  is  another  Fifh  in  fhape  like  the  Para- 
coody  but  much  f mailer,  and  a very  good  Fifh. 

[129]  There  is  a Fifh  like  our  Pike  or  Jack 
for  Shape;  but  not  above  8 or  10  Inches  long. 
His  Mouth  is  fomewhat  like  a Rabbits,  his 
Teeth  a little  way  within : His  Lips  are  Cartila- 
ginous. ’Tis  a very  good  Fifh. 

What  other  Fifh  their  Rivers  yield,  I know 
not ; for  I took  no  very  particular  notice  even  of 
thefe. 

But  I was  more  obferving  of  the  Indians  man- 
ner of  Fifhingy  at  which  they  are  very  expert, 
and  manage  it  differently,  according  to  the  Place 
where  they  . Fifh.  In  the  Rivers  Mouths,  and 
upon  the  Sea-Coafts,  in  Sandy-bay s where  there 


Periwin- 

kles. 


Lunpits. 


Sea-Crabs. 

Craw-fifh. 


Frefh-water 

Fifh. 


Anonymous. 


Manner  of 
Fifhing. 


130 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Dreffing 
their  Fifh. 


Salt,  how 
made. 


are  no  Rocks,  they  nfe  Nets  like  our  Drag-nets, 
made  of  Maho-b^x^y  or  Silk-grafs;  which  they 
carry  out  in  their  Canoa’s.  But  in  the  Hill- 
Country,  where  the  Streams  are  clear,  and  the 
Banks  in  many  places  Rocky,  they  go  along  the 
Banks  up  the  River,  looking  narrowly  into  the 
Water  to  view  the  Fifh.  When  they  fpy  any 
to  their  Mind,  they  leap  into  the  Water,  and 
wade  or  fwim  up  and  down  after  them ; and  if 
the  Fifh,  through  the  Fright,  betake  themfelves 
into  the  holes  in  the  Banks  for  Shelter,  as  they 
[130]  frequently  do,  the  Indians  feel  them  out 
with  their  Hands  and  take  them  thence,  as  we 
do  Chubs  or  Craw-fifh  in  our  Rivers.  By  Night 
they  bring  with  them  Torches  of  Light-wood, 
and  with  thefe  they  fpy  out  the  Fifh,  and  fo 
jump  in,  and  purfue  them  into  their  Holes. 

For  dreffing  their  Fifh ; they  firft  gut  them, 
and  then  either  boil  them  in  an  Earthen  Pot,  or 
elfe  barbecue  or  broil  them. 

For  Salty  they  have  it  out  of  the  Sea- water; 
which  they  boil  up  and  evaporate  in  Earthen 
Pots,  till  the  Salt  is  left  in  a Cake  at  the  bottom, 
which  they  take  out  and  break  in  pieces  for  ufe : 
But  as  this  is  a tedious  way,  fo  they  have  but 
little,  and  are  very  choice  and  fparing  of  it.* 
They  don’t  fait  their  Fifh  for  keeping;  but 
when  they  eat  it,  they  boil  abundance  of  Pepper 
with  it,  as  they  do  with  every  thing  elfe.  But 
their  Cookery  I fhall  fpeak  of  elfewhere. 

* Much  of  the  salt  used  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  isthmus 
is  still  obtained  by  this  method. — V.  R. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


131 


[131]  Of  the  Indian  Inhabitants:  their  Man- 
ners, Cuftoms,  &c. 

The  Indian  Inhabitants  of  the  IJlhmus  are 
not  very  numerous,  but  they  live  thickefl 
on  the  North-fide,  efpecially  along  the 
lides  of  Rivers.  The  wild  Indians  of  the  Sonth- 
iide  live  moft  towards  Peru : But  there  are 
Indians  fcatter’d  up  and  down  all  parts  of  the 
IJihinus, 

The  fize  of  the  Men  is  ufnally  about  5 or  6 
Foot.  They  are  ftreight  and  clean-limb’d, 
big’d-bon’d,  full-breaffced,  and  handfomly 
fhap’d.  I never  faw  among  them  a crooked  or 
deformed  Perfon.  They  are  very  nimble  and 
adtive,  running  very  well.  But  the  Women  are 
fhort  and  thick,  and  not  fo  lively  as  the  Men. 
The  young  Women  are  very  plump  and  fat, 
well-fhap’d;  and  have  a brisk  Eye.  The  elder 
Women  are  very  ordinary;  their  Bellies  and 
Breafts  [132]  being  penfile  and  wrinkled.  Both 
Men  and  Women  are  of  a round  Vifage,  with 
fhort  bottle  Nofes,  their  Eyes  large,  generally 
grey,  yet  lively  and  fparking  when  young. 
They  have  a high  Forehead,  white  even  Teeth, 
thin  Lips,  and  Mouth  moderately  large.  Their 
Cheeks  and  Chin  are  well  proportion’d ; and  in 


Indian 

Inhabitants. 


Their 

Stature. 

Shape. 


Features. 


132 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Hair. 


Combs  of 

Macaw- 

fticks. 


general  they  are  handfomly  featur’d,  but  the 
Men  more  than  the  Women. 

Both  Sexes  have  {freight,  long,  black  Hair, 
lank,  courfe  and  ftrong,  which  they  wear  ufually 
down  to  the  middle  of  the  Back,  or  lower,  hang- 
ing loofe  at  its  full  length ; only  the  Women  tie 
it  together  with  a String  juft  behind  the  Head, 
below  which  it  flows  loofe  as  the  Mens.  Both 
Men  and  Women  pride  themf elves  much  in  the 
length  of  the  Hair  of  the  Head ; and  they  fre- 
quently part  it  with  their  Fingers,  to  keep  it 
difentangled ; or  comb  it  out  with  a fort  of 
Combs  they  make  of  Macaw-wood..  This  Comb 
is  made  of  feveral  fmall  Sticks,  of  about  5 or  6 
Inches  long,  and  tapering  to  a point  at  each  end 
like  our  Glovers  Sticks.  Thefe  being  tied  10 
or  12  of  them  together  about  [133]  the  middle 
where  they  are  thick,  the  Extremities  of  them 
both  ways  open  from  each  other,  and  ferve  at 
either  end  for  a Comb : which  does  well  enough 
to  part  the  Hair;  but  they  are  forc’d  to  ufe 
their  Fingers  to  fetch  the  Lice  out  of  their 
Heads.  They  take  great  delight  in  Combing 
their  Hair,  and  will  do  it  for  an  Hour  together. 
All  other  Hair,  except  that  of  their  Eye-brows 
and  Eye-lids,  they  eradicate : For  tho’  the  Men 
have  Beards  if  they  would  let  them  grow,  yet 
they  always  have  them  rooted  out:  And  the 
Women  are  the  Operators  for  all  this  Work; 
ufing  two  little  Sticks  for  that  purpofe,  between 
which  they  pinch  the  Hair,  and  pluck  it  up. 
But  the  Men  upon  fome  occafions  cut  off  the 
Hair  even  of  their  Heads,  it  being  a Cuftom 
they  have  to  do  fo  by  way  of  Triumph,  and  as 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


133 


a diftinguifhing  Mark  of  Honour  to  him  who 
has  kill’d  a Spaniard,  or  other  Enemy.  He  alfo 
then  paints  himfelf  black  (which  is  not  ufual 
upon  any  other  occahon)  continuing  painted  of 
this  Colour  till  the  firft  New- moon  (as  I remem- 
ber) after  the  Fadt  is  done. 

[134]  Their  Natural  Complexion  is  a Copper- 
colour,  or  Orange-tawney ; and  their  Eye-brows 
are  naturally  black  as  Jet.  They  ufe  no  Art  to 
deepen  the  Colour  either  of  their  Eye-brows,  or 
the  Hair  of  their  Head ; but  they  daub  it  with 
Oil  to  make  it  fhine ; for  like  other  Indians  they 
anoint  themfelves  all  over,  whether  for  Beauty  to 
make  the  Skin  fmooth  and  fleek,  or  to  fupple  it 
and  keep  it  from  parching,  or  to  hinder  too  much 
Perfpiration  in  this  hot  Country,  I know  not. 

There  is  one  Complexion  fo  fingular,  among 
a fort  of  People  of  this  Country,  that  I never 
faw  nor  heard  of  any  like  them  in  any  part  of 
the  World.  The  Account  will  feem  ftrange, 
but  any  Privateers  who  have  gone  over  the 
IJihmus  muft  have  feen  them,  and  can  atteft  the 
main  of  what  I am  going  to  relate;  tho’  few 
have  had  the  opportunity  of  fo  particular  an 
Information  about  thefe  People  as  I have  had. 

They  are  White,  and  there  are  of  them  of 
both  Sexes;  yet  there  are  but  few  of  them  in 
comparifon  of  the  Copper-colour ’d,  poffibly  but 
one  to  [135]  two  or  three  hundred.  They  differ 
from  the  other  Indians  chiefly  in  refpedt  of 
Colour,  tho’  not  in  that  only.  Their  Skins  are 
not  of  fuch  a White  as  thofe  of  fair  People 
among  Europeans,  with  fome  tindture  of  a Blufh 
or  Sanguine  Complexion;  neither  yet  is  their 


Complexion. 


Anointing 

themselves. 


White 

Indians. 


Milk-white 
Skins  [i.  e. , 
Albinos], 


134 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Down, 


and  Hair. 


Smaller  than 
the  other 
Indians. 


Moon-ey’d. 


Complexion  like  that  of  our  paler  People,  but  'tis 
rather  a Milk-white,  lighter  than  the  Colour  of 
any  Europeans^  and  much  like  that  of  a white 
Horfe. 

For  there  is  this  further  remarkable  in  them, 
that  their  Bodies  are  befet  all  over,  more  or  lefs, 
with  a fine  fhort  Milk-white  Down,  which  adds 
to  the  whitenefs  of  their  Skins : For  they  are 
not  fo  thick  fet  with  this  Down,  efpecially  on 
the  Cheeks  and  Forehead,  but  that  the  Skin 
appears  diftindt  from  it.  The  Men  would  prob- 
ably have  white  Bridles  for  Beards,  did  they 
not  prevent  them  by  their  Cuflom  of  plucking 
the  young  Beard  up  by  the  Roots  continually : 
But  for  the  Down  all  over  their  Bodies,  they 
never  try  to  get  rid  of  it.  Their  Eye-brows  are 
Milk-white  alfo,  and  fo  is  the  Hair  of  their 
Heads,  and  very  fine  withal,  about  the  length 
of  fix  or  [136]  eight  Inches,  and  inclining  to  a 
Curl. 

They  are  not  fo  big  as  the  other  Indians ; and 
what  is  yet  more  fbrange,  their  Eye-lids  bend 
and  open  in  an  oblong  Figure,  pointing  down- 
ward at  the  Corners,  and  forming  an  Arch  or 
Figure  of  a Crefcent  with  the  Points  down- 
wards. From  hence,  and  from  their  feeing  fo 
clear  as  they  do  in  a Moon-fhiny  night,  we  us’d 
to  call  them  Moon-ey  d.  For  they  fee  not  very 
well  in  the  Sun,  poring  in  the  cleared  Day; 
their  Eyes  being  but  weak,  and  running  with 
Water  if  the  Sun  fhine  towards  them ; fo  that 
in  the  Day-time  they  care  not  to  go  abroad, 
unlefs  it  be  a cloudy  dark  Day.  Befides  they 
are  but  a weak  People  in  comparifon  of  the 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


135 


other,  and  not  very  fit  for  Hunting  or  other 

laborious  Exercife,  nor  do  they  delight  in  any 

fuch.  But  notwithftanding  their  being  thus 

fluggifh  and  dull  and  reftive  in  the  Day-time, 

yet  when  Moon-fhiny  nights  come,  they  are  all 

Life  and  Activity,  running  abroad,  and  into  the  Adtive  by- 

Woods,  skipping  about  like  Wild-Bucks;  and  Moon  fhine. 

running  as  faft  by  Moon-light,  even  in  the 

Gloom  [137]  and  Shade  of  the  Woods,  as  the 

other  Indians  by  Day,  being  as  nimble  as  they, 

tho’  not  fo  ftrong  and  lufty. 

The  Copper- colour’d  Indians  feem  not  to 
refpedt  thefe  fo  much  as  thofe  of  their  own 
Complexion,  looking  on  them  as  fomewhat 
monfbrous.  They  are  not  a diftindt  Race  by 
themf elves,  but  now  and  then  one  is  bred  of  a 
Copper-colour’ d Father  and  Mother ; and  I have  OfCopper- 
feen  a Child  of  lefs  than  a Year  old  of  this  fort,  colour’d 
Some  would  be  apt  to  fufpedt  they  might  be 
the  Off-fpring  of  fome  European  Father:  But 
befides  that  the  Europeans  come  little  here,  and 
have  little  Commerce  with  the  Indian-women 
when  they  do  come,  thefe  white  People  are  as 
different  from  the  Europeans  in  fome  refpedts, 
as  from  the  Copper-colour’d  Indians  in  others. 

And  befides,  where  an  European  lies  with  an 
Indian-sFTOVOL3iia.y  the  Child  is  always  a Moftefe^  or 
Tawney,  as  is  well  known  to  all  who  have  been 
in  the  West-Indies;  where  there  are  Mojiefa's^ 

Mulatto' s,  &c.  of  feveral  Gradations  between  the 
White,  and  the  Black  or  Copper-colour’d, 
according  as  the  Parents  are;  even  to  Decom- 
pounds, as- a Mu-[^i2i^']latto-Finay  the  Child  of  a 
Mulatto-mdiXiy  and  MoJie/a-womQny  &c. 


136 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


and  Parents 
of  fuch. 


Painting 
their  Bodies 
and  Faces. 


Woraen- 

Painters. 


Pricking  the 
Skin. 


But  neither  is  the  Child  of  a Man  and  Woman 
of  thefe  white  Indians,  white  like  the  Parents, 
but  Copper-colour’d  as  their  Parents  were.  For 
fo  Lacenta  told  me,  and  gave  me  this  as  his  Con- 
jedture  how  thefe  came  to  be  White,  That  'twas 
through  the  force  of  the  Mother’s  Imagination, 
looking  on  the  Moon  at  the  time  of  Conception ; 
but  this  I leave  others  to  judge  of.  He  told  me 
withal,  that  they  were  but  fhort-liv’d. 

Both  thefe  and  the  Copper-colour’d  Indians 
ufe  painting  their  Bodies,  even  of  the  Sucking 
Children  fometimes.  They  make  Figures  of 
Birds,  Beafts,  Men,  Trees,  or  the  like,  up  and 
down  in  every  part  of  the  Body,  more  efpecially 
the  Face : But  the  Figures  are  not  extraordinary 
like  what  they  reprefent,  and  are  of  differing 
Dimenfions,  as  their  Fancies  lead  them. 

The  Women  are  the  Painters,  and  take  a great 
delight  in  it.  The  Colours  they  like  and  ufe 
mofl  are  Red,  Yellow  and  Blue,  very  bright  and 
lovely.  They  temper  them  with  fome  [139] 
kind  of  Oil,  and  keep  them  in  Calabafhes  for  ufe ; 
and  ordinarily  lay  them  on  the  Surface  of  the 
Skin  with  Pencils  of  Wood,  gnaw’d  at  the  end 
to  the  foftnefs  of  a Brufh.  So  laid  on,  they  will 
laft  fome  Weeks,  and  are  renew’d  continually. 
This  way  they  painted  me. 

But  finer  Figures,  efpecially  by  their  greater 
Artifts,  are  imprinted  deeper,  after  this  manner. 
They  firft  with  the  Brufh  and  Colour  make  a 
rough  Draught  of  the  Figure  they  defign ; then 
they  prick  all  over  with  a fharp  Thorn  till  the 
Blood  gufhes  out ; then  they  rub  the  place  with 
their  Hands,  firft  dipp’d  in  the  Colour  they 


X&m-danli 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


137 


defign;  and  the  Pidlure  fo  made  is  indelible: 

But  fcarce  one  in  forty  of  them  is  painted  this 
way. 

One  of  my  Companions  defired  me  once  to 
get  out  of  his  Cheek  one  of  thefe  imprinted 
Pidtures,  which  was  made  by  the  Negroes^  his 
Name  was  Bullman\  which  yet  I could  not 
effedtually  do,  after  much  fcarifying  and  fetch- 
ing off  a great  part  of  the  Skin.  The  Men, 
when  they  go  to  War,  paint  the  Faces  all  over 
with  Red;  and  the  Shouldiers,  Breaft,  and  the 
[140]  reft  of  the  Bodies,  here  with  Black,  and 
there  with  Yellow,  or  any  other  Colour  at  pleaf- 
ure,  in  large  Spots ; all  which  they  wafh  off  at 
Night  in  the  River  before  they  go  to  fleep. 

They  wear  no  Cloaths,  ordinarily;  but  only  Womens 
the  Women  have  a Clout  or  piece  of  Cloth  about  Garb, 
their  middle,  tied  behind  with  a Thread,  and 
hanging  down  to  their  Knees;  or  Ankles,  if 
they  can  get  one  large  enough.  They  make 
thefe  of  Cotton ; but  fometimes  they  meet  with 
fome  old  Cloaths  got  by  trucking  with  their 
Neighbour  Indians  fubjedtto  the  Spaniards'^  and 
thefe  they  are  very  proud  of.  Mr.  Dampier 
relates  how  we  prevail’d  with  a morofe  Indian, 
by  prefenting  his  Wife  with  a Sky-colour’d 
Petticoat:  And  nothing  will  oblige  the  Women 
more  than  to  give  them  Cloaths,  efpecially  of 
Gaudy  Colours.* 

* Dampier,  p.  13,  describes  the  efforts  to  get  information 
from  the  old  Indian  at  whose  house  the  party  stopped  on  the 
third  day’s  march:  “ At  first  he  seemed  to  be  very  dubious  in 
entertaining  any  discourse  with  us,  and  gave  very  impertinent 
answers  to  the  questions  that  we  demanded  of  him ; he  told 
us  that  he  knew  no  way  to  the  North  side.  ...  We  could 


138 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Men  naked. 


Conick 

Veffel. 


Modefty  of 
both  Sexes. 


The  Men  go  ordinarily  quite  naked,  without 
fo  much  as  a Clout  about  them,  which  few  other 
Indians  are  without.  But  thefe  have  only  a 
fmall  Veffel  of  Gold  or  Silver,  if  they  are  able, 
or  at  leaft  a piece  of  Plantain-Leaf,  of  a Conick 
Figure,  like  the  [141]  Extinguifher  of  a Candle. 
They  forceably  bear  back  the  Penis  within  its 
own  Tegument,  clofe  to  the  Pubes ; and  they  keep 
it  there  with  this  Funnel  tied  hard  upon  it,  with 
a String  coming  from  it,  and  going  about  their 
Waifts.  They  leave  the  Scrotum  expos’d,  hav- 
ing no  Senfe  of  Shame  with  reference  to  that, 
as  they  have  with  refpec5t  to  the  Penis,  which 
they  never  fhew  uncover’d : But  the  Men  will 
turn  away  their  Faces  even  from  one  another, 
if  by  any  accident  it  be  uncover’d;  and  when 
they  would  make  Water,  they  turn  their  Backs 
to  their  Companions,  and  fquatting  down,  flip 
off  the  Funnel  with  one  Hand,  and  having  done, 
put  it  on  again  very  nimbly.  When  they  would 
go  to  Stool,  they  choofe  always  to  go  into  the 


get  no  other  answer  from  him,  and  all  his  discourse  was  in 
such  an  angry  tone  as  plainly  declared  he  was  not  our  friend. 
However,  we  were  forced  to  make  a virtue  of  necessity,  and 
humour  him,  for  it  was  neither  time  nor  place  to  be  angry 
with  the  Indians ; all  our  lives  lying  in  their  hand. 

“We  were  now  at  a great  loss,  not  knowing  what  course  to 
take,  for  we  tempted  him  with  Beads,  Money,  Hatchets, 
Macheats,  or  long  Knives ; but  nothing  would  work  on  him, 
till  one  of  our  men  took  a Sky-coloured  Petticoat  out  of 
his  bag  and  put  it  on  his  wife ; who  was  so  much  pleased 
with  the  Present,  that  she  immediately  began  to  chatter  to 
her  Husband,  and  soon  brought  him  into  better  humour.  He 
could  then  tell  us  that  he  knew  the  way  to  the  North  side,  and 
would  have  gone  with  us,  but  that  he  had  cut  his  foot  2 days 
before,  which  made  him  uncapable  of  serving  us  himself : But 
he  would  take  care  that  we  should  not  want  a guide.” 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


139 


River,  both  Men  and  Women;  having  a great 
Senfe  of  Shame  as  to  that  particular:  And  in 
general,  they  are  both  a modeft  and  a cleanly 
People. 

Yet  the  Men  alfo  have  a value  for  Cloaths; 
and  if  any  of  them  had  an  old  Shirt  given  him 
by  any  of  us,  he  would  be  fure  to  wear  it,  and 
ftrut  about  at  no  ordinary  rate.  Befides  [142] 
this,  they  have  a fort  of  long  Cotton  Garments 
of  their  own,  fome  white,  others  of  a rufty 
black,  fhap’d  like  our  Carter’s  Frocks,  hanging 
down  to  their  Heels,  with  a Fringe  of  the  fame 
of  Cotton  about  a Span  long,  and  fhort,  wide, 
open  Sleeves,  reaching  but  to  the  middle  of 
their  Arms.*  Thefe  Garments  they  put  on 
over  their  Heads ; but  they  are  worn  only  on 
fome  great  Occafions,  as  attending  the  King  or 
Chief,  either  at  a Feaft,  a Wedding  efpecially; 
or  fitting  in  Council,  or  the  like.  They  don’t 
march  in  them:  But  the  Women  carry  thefe  and 
their  other  Ornaments  in  Baskets  after  them; 
which  they  put  on  when  they  come  to  the  Place 
of  ACCembly,  and  there  make  themfelves  as  fine 
as  they  can.  When  they  are  thus  affembled,  they 

*Ringrose,  p.  7,  says  that  the  “ King  or  chief  Captain  of 
these  Indians  of  Darien,  ’ ’ who  visited  the  buccaneers  on  their 
way  across  to  attack  Santa  Maria,  “ was  covered  with  a thin 
white  cotton  robe,  reaching  unto  the  small  of  his  legs,  and 
round  its  bottom  a fringe  of  the  same  three  inches  deep.  So 
that  by  the  length  of  this  Robe,  our  sight  was  impeded,  that 
we  could  see  no  higher  than  his  naked  Ankles.  In  his  hand 
he  had  a long  bright  Lance,  as  sharp  as  any  knife.  With  him 
he  had  three  Sons,  each  of  them  having  a white  Robe,  and 
their  Lances  in  .their  hands,  but  standing  bare-headed  before 
him ; as  also  were  eight  or  nine  persons  more  of  his  Retinue, 
or  Guard.”  His  crown  is  described  in  the  note  on  page  142. 


The  Men’s 
Robes,  on 
particular 
Occafions. 


140 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Plates  hang- 
ing over  the 
Mouth. 


will  fometimes  walk  about  the  Place  or  Planta- 
tion where  they  are,  with  thefe  their  Robes  on : 
And  I once  faw  Lacenta  thus  walking  about 
with  2 or  300  of  thefe  attending  him,  as  if  he 
was  muflering  them:  And  I took  notice  that 
thofe  in  the  black  Gowns  walk’d  before  him, 
and  the  white  after  him,  each  having  their 
Launces  of  the  fame  colour  with  their  Robes. 

[143]  For  an  Ornament  to  the  Face,  befide 
their  general  painting  and  daubing  their  Cheeks 
with  Red  when  they  go  to  War,  the  Men  wear 
at  all  times  a piece  of  Plate  hanging  over  their 
Mouths,  generally  of  Silver,  but  the  principal 
Men  have  it  of  Gold.  ’Tis  of  an  Oval  Figure, 
covering  the  Mouth  from  corner  to  corner ; and 
this  is  the  length  of  it.  It  reaches  fo  low  as  to 
ly  upon  the  Under-lip  with  its  loweffc  fide ; and 
there  is  a piece  cut  out  of  the  upper  fide,  near 
the  Extremity  of  it;  which  Edge  being  cut 
afunder,  the  whole  Plate  is  like  the  Figure  of  a 
Half-moon,  only  inclining  more  to  an  Oval ; and 
gently  pinching  the  Bridle  of  the  Nofe  with  its 
Points,  it  hangs  dangling  from  thence.  It  is  in 
the  middle  of  about  the  thicknefs  of  a Guinea ; 
but  grows  thinner  gradually  towards  the  Edge. 
The  Plates  of  this  fize  are  fuch  as  they  ufe  when 
they  go  to  a Feaft  or  Council:  But  that  which 
they  wear  abroad  upon  a long  March,  Hunting, 
or  at  ordinary  times,  is  of  the  fame  Shape,  but 
much  f mailer,  and  does  not  cover  their  Lips. 
Such  an  one  I wore  among  them  of  Gold.* 

* Davis,  in  the  second  edition,  p.  276,  describes  the  Indians 
who  accompanied  him  across  the  Isthmus  as  being  about  a 
hundred^*  brisk  young  Fellows,  each  of  them  having  two 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


141 


[144]  In  (lead  of  this  Plate,  the  Women  wear 
a Ring  hanging  down  in  the  fame  manner ; and 
the  Metal  and  Size  alfo  differing  according  to 
their  Rank,  and  the  Occafion.  The  larger  fort 
is  of  the  thicknefs  of  a Goofe-quill;  and  not 
Oval,  as  the  Mens  Plates,  but  Circular.  It  goes 
through  the  Bridle  of  the  Nofe;  which  many 
times,  by  its  weight  and  long  ufe,  efpecially  in 
Elder  Women,  it  brings  down  to  the  Mouth. 

Both  Men  and  Women,  at  folemn  Meals  or 
Feafls,  when  they  wear  their  larger  Plates  or 
Rings,  take  them  out,  and  lay  them  afide  till 
they  have  done  Eating;  when  rubbing  them 
very  clean  and  bright,  they  put  them  in  again. 
At  other  times,  when  they  eat  or  drink,  they 
content  themfelves  with  lifting  up  with  the  left 
Hand,  if  need  be,  the  fmall  Plates  or  Rings  they 
then  wear,  (and  the  Womens  Rings  are  feldom 
fo  fmall  but  they  lie  upon  the  Lips)  while  they 
ufe  their  right  Hand  in  taking  up  the  Cup  or 
feeding  themfelves.  And  by  the  way,  they 
always  make  the  chief  ufe  of  their  Right  Hands : 
And  I never  perceiv’d  a Left-handed  [145]  Per- 
fon  among  them.  Neither  the  Plates  nor  Rings 
hinder  much  their  Speaking,  tho’  they  lie  bob- 
bing upon  their  Lips. 

The  King  or  Chief,  and  fome  few  of  the  great 
ones,  at  extraordinary  times,  wear  in  each  Ear, 


The 

Women’s 

Nofe-rings. 


None  of 
them  Left- 
handed. 


Ear- 

pendants. 


Lances,  two  Bows,  and  about  twenty  Arrows.  They  are  all 
naked,  having  long  black  Hair  hanging  down  to  their  Wastes, 
and  a Horn  which  they  put  their  Yards  into,  ty’d  with  a String, 
and  a very  large  piece  of  Gold,  with  a Ring  in  the  shape  of 
half  Moon,  reaching  from  Ear  to  Ear,  and  a Hole  in  their 
Nose,  into  which  the  Ring  goes.”  These  rings  are  illustrated 
in  the  plate  at  p.  137. 


142 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Diadems  of 
Gold, 


and  of  Canes 
& Feathers, 


faftned  to  a Ring  there,  two  large  Gold  Plates, 
one  hanging  before  to  the  Breaft,  and  the  other 
behind  on  the  Shoulder.  They  are  about  a 
Span  long,  of  an  Heart  fafhion  (as  that  is  com- 
monly painted)  with  the  Point  downward ; 
having  on  the  upper  part  a narrow  Plate  or 
Label,  about  three  or  four  Inches  long,  by  an 
hole  in  which  it  hangs  to  the  Ring  in  the  Ear. 
It  wears  great  holes  in  the  Ears  by  frequent  ufe. 

I once  faw  Lacenta,  in  a great  Council,  wear 
a Diadem  of  Gold-plate,  like  a Band  about  his 
Head,  eight  or  nine  Inches  broad,  jagged  at  top 
like  the  Teeth  of  a Saw,  and  lined  on  the  infide 
with  a Net- work  of  fmall  Canes.*  And  all  the 
armed  Men,  who  then  attended  him  in  Council, 
wore  on  their  Heads  fuch  a Band,  but  like  a 
Basket  of  Canes,  and  fo  jagged,  wrought  fine, 
and  painted  very  hand-[i46]fomely,  for  the 
moft  part  red;  but  not  cover'd  over  with  a 
Gold-plate  as  Lacentd s was.  The  top  of  thefe 
was  fet  round  with  long  Feathers,  of  feveral  of 
the  moft  beautiful  Birds,  ftuck  upright  in  a 


*Ringrose,  p.  6,  describing  the  '‘King”  of  Darien,  who 
visited  the  buccaneers  while  they  were  on  their  way  to  attack 
Santa  Maria,  says:  ‘‘  His  Crown  was  made  of  small  white  reeds, 
which  were  curiously  woven,  having  no  other  top  than  its 
lining,  which  was  red  silk.  Round  about  the  middle  of  it  was 
a thin  plate  of  gold,  more  than  two  inches  broad,  laced  behind ; 
from  whence  did  stick  two  or  three  Ostrich  feathers.  About 
this  plate  went  also  a row  of  golden  beads,  which  were  bigger 
than  ordinary  pease  [i.  e. , peas] ; underneath  which  the  red 
lining  of  the  crown  was  seen.  In  his  nose  he  wore  a large 
plate  of  gold,  in  form  of  an  half  Moon ; and  in  each  ear  a great 
golden  Ring,  nigh  four  inches  in  diameter,  with  a round  thin 
plate  of  Gold  of  the  same  breadth,  having  a small  hole  in  the 
center,  and  by  that  hanging  to  the  ring.” 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


143 


Ring  or  Crown : But  Lacenta  had  no  Feathers 
on  his  Diadem. 

Befide  thefe  particular  Ornaments  there  are 
yet  other  general  ones,  which  they  all  wear, 
Men,  Women,  and  Children  of  feven  or  eight 
Years  old,  in  proportion  to  their  Age.  Thefe 
are  feveral  Strings  or  Chains  of  Teeth,  Shells, 
Beads,  or  the  like,  hanging  from  the  Neck 
down  upon  the  Breafl,  and  to  the  pit  of  the 
Stomach.  The  Teeth-chains  are  curiously 
made  with  Teeth  jagged  like  a Saw  in  feveral 
Rows,  fo  contriv’d  as  that  the  Prominencies  of 
the  one  Row  may  lie  in  the  Notches  of  the 
other,  and  look  like  one  folid  Mafs  of  Bone. 
This  was  worn  only  by  Lacenta^  and  fome  few 
of  the  principal  Men,  on  particular  Occafions; 
and  they  put  them  on  over  the  reft  of  their 
Beads.  We  us’d  to  call  thefe,  Tygers-teeth, 
though  I know  not  for  what  Reafon ; for  I never 
faw  any  fuch  Creature  [147]  there:  Yet  I have 
been  inform’d  there  are  Tygers  on  this  Conti- 
nent. Some  of  our  Men  who  crofs’d  the  IJlhmus, 
told  me,  they  kill’d  one  there;  and  at  another 
time,  when  we  went  over  with  Capt.  Sharp,  fome 
of  the  Men  faid  they  faw  a Tyger,  who  ftood  at 
a fmall  diftance,  and  flar’d  upon  them.  I have 
heard  alfo  that  there  is  a fmall  fort,  but  very 
fierce,  in  the  Bay  of  Campechy, 

But  for  the  reft  of  them,  both  Men  and 
Women,  they  wear  not  any  Teeth,  but  only  a 
few  fcattering  fometimes  here  and  there  in  the 
Chains,  among  the  reft  of  the  Baubles.  Each 
of  them  has,  it  may  be,  about  the  Neck  3 or  400 
Strings  of  Beads,  Shells,  or  the  like,  but  thefe 


Chains  of 
Beads,  &-»c. 


their  great 
Mens. 


Tygers- 

teeth. 


Tygers  on 
the  Ijihmus, 


The  Chains 
how  made ; 


144 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Their  great 
Weight ; 


when  worn. 


divided  into  7 or  8 Ranks;  and  the  Strings  of 
each,  by  being  turn’d  a little  about  one  another, 
make,  as  it  were,  fo  many  Ropes  of  them. 
Thefe  hang  ufually  one  below  another,  yet  in 
no  great  order;  and  the  Women  generally  have 
theirs  hanging  all  on  a Heap  or  Clutter.  What- 
ever Bugles  * or  other  fuch  Toys  they  get,  they 
find  a place  for  them  among  their  Chains ; which 
the  heavier  they  be,  the  more  [148]  ornamental. 
She  is  a poor  Woman  who  has  not  fifteen  or 
twenty  Pound  weight  upon  her;  fome  have 
thirty  or  more ; and  the  Men  have  commonly 
near  twice  as  much  in  weight  as  the  Women, 
according  as  their  Strength  is,  and  their  Ability 
to  compafs  them. 

When  they  are  in  the  Houfe,  or  on  Hunting, 
or  going  to  War,  they  wear  none  of  thefe 
Chains;  but  only  when  they  would  appear  in 
State,  upon  occafion  of  a Feafl,  Wedding, 
Council,  or  the  like.  As  they  go  to  the  place 
of  Rendezvous,  the  Women  carry  them  for 
them,  as  they  do  their  other  Trinkets,  in  Baf- 
kets;  one  at  each  end  of  a Pole  laid  acrofs  the 
Shoulder.  When  they  come  to  the  place,  they 
put  them  on,  and  walk  about;  and  fometimes 
will  dance  in  them;  till  with  the  Motion  and 
Weight  they  Sweat  extreamly.  When  they  fit 
down  to  eat,  they  take  them  off  till  they  have 
done. 

The  Children  have  only  a few  fmall  Chains ; 
and  a String  or  two  of  Beads  or  Bugles  they 
will  put  upon  their  very  Infants.  And  the 
Women,  befides  thefe  Chains,  have  fometimes 


* Long  black  glass  beads. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


145 


[149]  Bracelets  about  their  Arms,  of  a fmall  Womens 
quantity  of  the  fame  Materials  twifled  feveral  Bracelets  of 
times  about.  Both  Men  and  Women,  when 
painted,  and  fet  out  with  all  thefe  Fineries, 
make  no  ordinary  Figure. 

Their  Houfes  lie  moftly  thin  and  fcattering.  Their 
efpecially  in  New  Plantations,  and  always  by  a Houfes; 
River-iide.  But  in  fome  Places  there  are  a 
pretty  many  together,  fo  as  to  make  a Town  or 
Village;  yet  not  {landing  clofe  or  orderly,  in 
Rows  or  Streets,  but  difpers’d  here  and  there,  and  how 
like  our  Villages  on  Commons,  or  in  Woodlands.  Seated. 
They  have  Plantations  lying  about  them,  fome 
at  a nearer,  others  at  a greater  diflance ; referv- 
ing  flill  a Place  to  build  the  common  War-houfe 
on.  They  change  not  their  Seats  or  Houfes, 
unlefs  either  for  fear  of  the  Neighbouring 
Spaniards,  if  they  think  them  too  much  ac- 
quainted with  the  place  of  their  Abode ; or  to 
mend  their  Commons,  when  the  Ground  is  worn 
out  of  Heart ; for  they  never  manure  not. 

In  building,  they  lay  no  Foundations,  only  and  built, 
dig  Holes  two  or  three  Feet  af under;  in  which 
they  fet  fmall  [150]  Pofls  upright,  of  an  equal 
heighth,  of  6,  7,  or  8 Foot  high.  The  Walls 
are  walled  up  with  Sticks,  and  daub’d  over  with 
Earth : And  from  thefe  Walls  the  Roof  runs  up 
in  fmall  Rafters,  meeting  in  a Ridge,  and  cover’d 
with  Leaves  of  fome  Trees  of  the  Palm  kind. 

The  Building  is  all  irregular.  The  Length 
is  about  24  or  25  Foot;  the  Breadth  proportion- 
able.  There  is  no  Chimney,  but  the  Fire  is 
made  in  the  middle  of  the  Houfe,  on  the 
Ground ; the  Smoke  going  out  at  a hole  on  the 


146 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


The  War 
houfes  or 
Forts. 


top,  or  at  Crevifes  in  the  Thatch.  The  Houfe 
is  not  fo  much  parted  into  Rooms,  as  all  of  it  a 
Clufber  of  Hovels,  joining  together  into  one 
Houfe.  No  Stories,  no  Doors,  nor  Shelves; 
nor  other  Seats,  than  Logs  of  Wood.  Every 
one  of  the  Family  has  a Hammock  tied  up, 
hanging  from  end  to  end  of  the  Hovel  or  Room. 

Several  Houfes  in  a Village  or  Neighbour- 
hood, have  one  War-houfe  or  Fort  in  common 
to  them;  which  is  generally  at  leaft  120  or  130 
Foot  long,  about  25  broad,  the  Wall  about  9 or 
10  Foot  high;  and  in  all  to  the  top  of  the  Ridge 
about  20  Foot;  [151]  and  cover’d  with  Leaves 
as  their  other  Houfes.  The  Materials  and 
Method  of  Building  are  alfo  much  the  fame  as 
in  the  other  Houfes;  but  there  are  no  Parti- 
tions. The  Sides  and  Ends  of  thefe  War-houfes 
are  full  of  Holes,  each  about  as  wide  as  ones 
Fiffc;  but  made  here  and  there  at  Random,  in 
no  regular  Figure  or  Order.  Out  of  thefe  they 
view  an  approaching  Enemy,  and  fhoot  their 
Arrows.  They  have  no  way  of  flanking  an 
Enemy.  Thefe  Houfes  are  always  feated  on  a 
Level,  on  the  Nap  or  Edge  of  a gentle  Hill; 
and  they  clear  the  Coaffc  of  Woods  and  Shrubs, 
for  a Bows-fhoot  quite  round  it.  There  is  a 
Door- way  at  each  end;  and  to  Barricado  it,  a 
fort  of  Door  made  of  Macaw-^006.  and  Bamboes, 
both  fplit  and  bound  together  with  Withs;  ’tis 
about  a Foot  thick : This  they  have  ready  to  fet 
up  againft  an  Enemies  entrance;  and  two  or 
three  Pofts  in  the  Ground  to  fupport  it.  ’Tis  a 
great  Inconvenience  of  thefe  Forts  that  they  are 
eafily  fet  a Fire;  and  the  Spaniards  fhoot  into 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


147 


the  Thatch  Arrows  with  long  Shanks  made  red 
hot,  for  that  pnrpofe.  There  is  nfually  a 
Family  [152]  of  Indians  liYrng  in  the  War-houfe, 
as  a Gnard  to  it,  and  to  keep  it  clean : And  they 
are  always  kept  pretty  neat,  as  their  private 
Honfes  alfo  are.  The  War-honfes  ferve  them 
alfo  to  hold  their  Councils,  or  other  general 
Meetings. 

In  the  Plantations,  among  their  Honfes,  they 
fet  fo  much  of  Plantains,  Maiz,  or  the  like,  as 
ferves  their  Occafions.  The  Country  being  all 
a Foreffc,  the  firffc  thing  of  their  Husbandry  is 
ufually  to  cut  down  the  Trees,  and  clear  a piece 
of  Ground.  They  often  let  the  Trees  lie  along 
on  the  Place  3 or  4 Years  after  they  are  cut  down ; 
and  then  fet  fire  to  them  and  the  Underwood  or 
Stumps,  burning  all  together.  Yet  in  the  mean 
time  they  plant  Maiz  among  the  Trees  as  they 
lie.  So  much  of  the  Roots  of  the  Trees  as  are 
under  Ground,  they  fuller  to  lie  there  and  rot, 
having  no  way  to  grub  them  up.  When  the 
Ground  is  pretty  clear,  they  how  [i.e.,  hoe]  it 
up  into  little  Ridges  and  Hillocks;  but  in  no 
very  good  Form  nor  regular  Diflance.  In  each 
of  thefe  Hillocks  they  make  a hole  with  their 
Fingers,  and  throw  in  2 or  3 Grains  [153]  of 
Maiz,  as  we  do  Garden-beans;  covering  it  up 
with  Earth.  The  Seed-time  is  about  April \ the 
Harveft  about  September  or  OHober,  They  pluck 
off  the  Ears  of  the  Maiz  with  their  Hands,  as  is 
ufual  alfo  elfe where:  And  tho’  I was  not  there 
in  their  Harvefl-time,  yet  I faw  the  Maiz  of  the 
preceding  Harveft  laid  up  in  the  Husk  in  their 
Houfes.  Inftead  of  Threfhing,  they  rub  off 


Plantations 
and  Husban- 
dry. 


148 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Maiz-flower 
[i.  e.,  flour, 
or  corn- 
meal]. 


Corn- 
Drink  ; * 


how  fer- 
mented. 


the  Grain.  They  make  no  Bread  of  it,  nor 
Cakes,  but  ufe  the  Flower  on  many  Occalions ; 
parching  the  Corn,  and  grinding  it  between  two 
Stones,  as  Chocolate  is  made.  One  ufe  they 
put  the  Flower  to  is  to  mix  it  with  Water 
in  a Calabafh,  and  fo  drink  it  off;  which 
they  do  frequently  when  they  Travel,  and 
have  not  leifure  to  get  other  Provifions.  This 
mixture  they  call  Chicha^  which  I think  fignifies 
Maiz. 

They  make  a Drink  alfo  of  their  Maiz,  which 
they  call  Chichah  Co-pah\  for  Co-pah  fignifies 
Drink.  They  fteep  in  a Trough  of  Water  a 
quantity  of  Maiz  bruifed,  about  20  or  30  Bufh- 
els,  if  it  be  againft  a Feaft  or  Wedding;  letting 
it  lie  fo  long  till  the  [154]  Water  is  impregnated 
with  the  Corn,  and  begins  to  tlirn  four.  Then 
the  Women,  ufually  fome  old  Women,  who 
have  little  elfe  to  do,  come  together,  and  chew 
Grains  of  Maiz  in  their  Mouths,  which  they 
spit  out  each  into  a Gourd  or  Calabafh:  And 
when  they  think  they  have  a fufficient  quantity 
of  this  Spittle  and  Maiz  in  the  Calabafhes,  they 
empty  them  into  the  Trough  of  Water,  after 
having  firfb  taken  out  the  Maiz  that  was  infus’d 
in  it;  and  this  ferves  inffcead  of  Barm  or  Yeaft, 
fetting  all  the  Trough  of  Liquor  in  a fmall  Fer- 
ment. When  it  has  done  working,  they  draw 
it  off  clean  from  the  Sediment  into  another 
Trough,  and  then  ’tis  ready  for  ufe.  It  tafts 
like  four  fmall  Beer,  yet  ’tis  very  intoxicating. 
They  drink  large  Quantities  of  it,  and  are  very 
fond  of  it:  It  makes  them  belch  very  much. 


* Davis  calls  this  Chitty. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


149 


This  is  their  choice  Drink ; for  ordinarily  they 
drink  plain  Water  or  Mijlaw. 

Mijlaw  is  a Drink  made  of  ripe  Plantains : Mijlaw  of 
There  is  of  two  forts,  one  made  of  Plantains  Plantains.* 
frefh-gather’d,  the  other  of  dry  ones.  The 
former  they  roaft  in  its  Cod,  which  peeling  off, 

[155]  they  put  the  Plantain  into  a Calabafh  of 
Water,  and  mafh  it  with  their  Hands,  till  ’tis 
all  diflolved ; and  then  they  drink  it  up  with  the 
Water.  The  other  is  made  of  Cakes  or  Lumps 
of  Plantain  dried;  for  the  Plantains  when  ripe 
and  gather’d,  will  not  keep,  but  quickly  grow 
rotten  if  left  in  the  Cod.  ' To  preferve  them 
therefore,  they  make  a Mafs  of  the  Pulp  of  a 
great  many  ripe  Plantains,  which  they  dry  with 
a gentle  Fire  upon  a Barbecue  or  Grate  of 
Sticks,  made  like  a Grid-iron.  This  Lump  they 
keep  for  ufe,  breaking  off  a piece  of  it  when 
they  pleafe,  and  mafhing  it  in  Water  for  Mijlaw. 

They  carry  a Lump  of  Plantain  with  them  for 
this  end  whenever  they  travel;  efpecially  into 
Places  where  they  can’t  hope  to  get  ripe  Plan- 
tains, tho’  they  prefer  the  dried  ones.  Green 
and  half-ripe  ones  they  eat  inftead  of  Bread 
with  Flefh ; but  they  boil  them  fir  ft.  They  do 
the  fame  with  their  Yams  and  Potato’s,  which 
they  fome times  roaft ; as  alf o the  Caffava-root : 

And  their  Plantations  are  never  without  fome 
or  other  of  thefe,  and  ufually  in  good  plenty ; 
efpecially  the  old  Plantations. 

[156]  I faw  no  Herbs  or  Sallading  in  their 
Plantations,  neither  did  I ever  fee  them  eat  any 
kind  of  Herbs.  But  they  never  forget  to  have 

* Called  Mushlaw  by  Davis,  and  Miscelaw  by  Sharp. 


150 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Women, 

Planters. 


The 

Womens 

Drudgery 

voluntary. 


Their  good 
Conditions ; 


in  their  Plantations  fome  of  their  beloved  Pep- 
per; and  they  nfually  are  pretty  well  ftor’d 
with  Pine- Apples,  which  they  have  very  plen- 
tiful, and  eat  of  them  every  Day. 

The  Men  firft  clear  the  Plantations,  and  bring 
them  into  order,  but  the  Women  have  all  the 
trouble  of  them  afterwards ; the  digging,  howing, 
planting,  plucking  the  Maiz,  and  fetting  Yams, 
and  every  thing  of  Husbandry,  is  left  to  them, 
but  only  the  cutting  down  Trees,  or  fuch  Work 
that  requires  greater  Strength.  The  Women 
alfo  have  the  managing  Affairs  within  Doors, 
for  they  are  in  general  the  Drudges  of  the 
Family;  efpecially  the  old  Women,  for  fuch 
Works  as  they  are  able  to  do,  as  Cooking,  Wafh- 
ing,  and  the  like.  And  abroad  alfo  the  Women 
are  to  attend  their  Husbands,  and  do  all  their 
Servile  Work.  Nay,  they  are  little  better  than 
their  Pack-horfes,  carrying  all  the  Luggage  of 
their  Houfhold-Utenfils,  Vidtuals,  and  when 
they  [157]  come  to  the  place  where  they  are  to 
lodge,  the  Wife  dreffes  Supper,  while  the  Man 
hangs  up  the  Hammocks ; for  each  of  them  lies 
in  their  own  Hammock. 

But  notwithflanding  the  Women  are  put  thus 
to  all  manner  of  Drudgery  about  the  Houfe  and 
Plantations,  and  in  Travelling  abroad,  and  are 
little  better  than  Slaves  to  their  Husbands ; yet 
they  do  their  Work  fo  readily  and  cheerfully, 
that  it  appears  to  be  rather  their  own  Choice 
than  any  Neceffity  laid  upon  them.  They  are 
in  general  very  good  condition’d,  pitiful  and 
courteous  to  one  another,  but  efpecially  to 
Strangers ; ready  to  give  any  juft  attendance  or 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


151 


affiftance  they  can.  They  obferve  their  Hnf- 
bands  with  a profound  Refpec5t  and  Duty  upon 
all  occafions ; and  on  the  other  fide  their  Huf- 
bands  are  very  kind  and  loving  to  them.  I 
never  knew  an  Indian  beat  his  Wife,  or  give  her 
any  hard  Words:  Nor  even  in  the  Quarrels 
which  they  are  wont  to  have  in  their  Cups,  do 
they  fhew  any  Roughnefs  toward  their  Women 
who  attend  them. 

[158]  Befide  thefe  Cares,  the  Women  have 
that  which  more  immediately  belongs  to  them, 
the  Care  of  their  Children.  When  a Woman  is 
deliver’d  of  a Child,  another,  Woman  takes  it  in 
her  Arms  within  half  an  hour  or  lefs  after  ’tis 
born,  and  takes  the  lying-in  Woman  upon  her 
Back,  and  goes  with  both  of  them  into  the  River 
and  wafhes  them  there.  The  Child  for  the  firft 
Month  is  tied  upon  a Board,  or  piece  of  Macaw- 
wood  fplit  (for  that  ferves  them  ufually  for 
Boards,  having  no  Saws)  and  this  piece  of  Wood 
is  fwathed  to  the  Back  of  the  Child;  and  their 
Children  generally  grow  very  ftreight.  When 
there  is  occafion  to  clean  the  Child,  they  take  it 
off  from  the  Board,  and  wafh  it  with  cold  Water; 
and  then  fwath  it  on  again.  The  Mother  takes 
up  the  Child  to  give  it  Suck,  Board  and  all,  and 
lays  it  down  again  in  a little  Hammock  made 
for  that  purpofe;  the  upper  part  of  which  is 
kept  open  with  fhort  Sticks. 

As  the  Children  grow  up,  the  Boys  are  bred 
to  their  Fathers  Exercifes;  efpecially  fhooting 
with  the  Bow  and  Arrow,  and  throwing  the 
[159]  Lance at  both  which  they  are  very  expert. 
I have  feen  Things  perform’d  by  them  with  a 


and  their 
Husbands. 


Care  of  their 
Children. 

Lying-in. 


Nurfing. 


Education 
of  the  Boys: 


152 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Their 

Dexterity. 


Indulgence. 


Girls  Em- 
ployments. 


Dexterity  almoft  incredible:  For  Inftance,  a 
little  Boy  of  about  eight  Years  old,  would  fet  a 
Cane  up  on  end,  and  going  about  twenty  Paces 
from  it,  would  fplit  it  with  a Bow  and  Arrow, 
and  not  mifs  once  in  feveral  ElTays.  This  I 
have  feen,  and  this  is  the  chief  of  their  Exer- 
cife:  And  as  they  generally  accompany  their 
Fathers  on  Hunting,  (efpecially  when  about  lo 
or  12  years  old,  and  big  enough  to  carry  their 
own  Provihon,  and  a Calabafh  of  Corn-drink)  fo 
they  will  fhoot  little  Birds  they  meet  with,  and 
ftrike  in  with  the  Hunt.  Their  young  Children 
they  never  carry  abroad  with  them  on  a Journey, 
or  on  a hunting  or  fighting  Expedition.  The 
Boys,  when  grown  fomewhat  big,  always  go 
abroad  with  the  Father  and  Mother,  and  do 
what  little  Services  they  can ; but  the  Girls  flay 
at  home  with  the  old  Women. 

They  feem  very  fond  of  their  Children,  both 
Fathers  and  Mothers,  and  I have  fcarce  feen 
them  ufe  any  Severity  towards  them.  And  the 
[i6o]  Children  are  fuffer’d  to  divert  themf elves 
which  way  they  will.  Swimming  in  the  Rivers 
and  catching  Fifh,  is  a great  Exercife  even  for 
the  fmall  Boys  and  Girls;  and  the  Parents  alfo 
ufe  that  Refrefhment.  They  go  quite  naked, 
both  Boys  and  Girls,  till  the  Age  of  Puberty; 
when  the  Girls  put  on  their  Clout,  and  the 
Boys  the  Funnel. 

The  Girls  are  bred  up  by  their  Mothers  to 
their  Domeftick  Employments.  They  make 
them  help  to  drefs  the  Vidtuals,  and  fet  them 
to  draw  Strings  out  of  Maho-hdirky  and  to  beat 
Silk-grsSSy  for  Thread,  Cordage,  and  Nets. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


153 


They  pick  the  Cotton  alfo,  and  fpin  it  for  their 
Mothers  Weaving.  For  Weaving,  the  Women 
make  a Roller  of  Wood,  abont  three  Foot  long, 
turning  eafily  about  between  two  Pofts.  About 
this  they  place  Strings  of  Cotton,  of  3 or  4 
yards  long,  at  moft,  but  oftner  lefs,  according 
to  the  ufe  the  Cloth  is  to  be  put  to,  whether  for 
a Hammock,  or  to  tie  about  their  Waifts,  or  for 
Gowns,  or  for  Blankets  to  cover  them  in  their 
Hammocks,  as  they  lie  in  them  in  their  Houfes ; 
which  are  all  [161]  the  Ufes  they  have  for  Cloth : 
And  they  never  weave  a piece  of  Cotton  with  a 
defign  to  cut  it,  but  of  a lize  that  fhall  juft  ferve 
for  the  particular  ufe.  The  Threads  thus  com- 
ing from  the  Roller  are  the  Warp ; and  for  the 
Woof,  they  twift  Cotton-yarn  about  a fmall 
piece  of  Macaw-woo^^  notch’d  at  each  end;  and 
taking  up  every  other  Thread  of  the  Warp  with 
the  Fingers  of  one  Hand,  they  put  the  Woof 
through  with  the  other  Hand,  and  receive  it 
out  on  the  other  fide : And  to  make  the  Threads 
of  the  Woof  lie  clofe  in  the  Cloth,  they  ftrike 
them  at  every  turn  with  a long  and  thin  piece 
of  Macaw-^f70od  like  a Ruler,  which  lies  acrofs 
between  the  Threads  of  the  Warp  for  that 
purpofe. 

The  Girls  alfo  twift  Cotton-yarn  for  Fringes, 
and  prepare  Canes,  Reeds  or  Palmeto- Leaves, 
as  the  Boys  alfo  do,  for  Basket-making.  But 
the  making  up  the  Baskets  is  the  Mens  Work; 
who  firft  die  the  Materials  of  feveral  curious 
lively  Colours,  and  then  mix  and  weave  them 
very  prettily.  They  weave  little  Baskets  like 
Cups  alfo  very  neat;  with  the  Twigs  [162] 


The 

Womens 

Weaving. 


The  Mens 

Basket 

making. 


154 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Woven 

Cups. 


Modefty  of 
the  young 
Maids. 


Plurality  of 
Wives. 


Punifhment 
of  Adultery, 


Theft, 

and  deflour- 
ing  Virgins. 


wrought  fo  very  fine  and  clofe,  as  to  hold  any 
Liquor,  without  any  more  ado,  having  no  Lacker 
or  Varnifh:  And  they  as  ordinarily  drink  out  of 
thefe  woven  Cups,  as  out  of  their  Calabafhes, 
which  they  paint  very  curioufly.  They  make 
Baskets  of  feveral  fizes,  for  carrying  their 
Cloths,  or  other  ufes,  with  great  variety  of 
Work;  and  fo  firm,  that  you  may  crufh  them  or 
throw  them  about,  how  you  will  almofl,  with 
little  or  no  damage  to  them. 

The  young  Maids  are  fhut  up  in  private  by 
their  Parents  at  the  time  of  Puberty,  and  will 
not  be  feen  by  any,  but  put  a piece  of  Cotton  as 
a Vail  over  their  Faces,  if  any  one  fhould  come 
accidentally  into  the  Place  where  they  are,  tho’ 
it  be  their  Father.  This  Confinement  lafts  not 
long,  but  they  foon  go  abroad  again.  They  are 
very  modeft;  and  tho’  they  will  lay  hold  on 
any  part  of  a Man,  yet  they  do  it  with  great 
Simplicity  and  Innocence. 

Lacenta  had  feveral  Wives,  as  others  of  them 
alfo  had.  Lacenta^  were  Seven  in  number. 
When  he  went  a Progrefs  or  long  Journey,  [163] 
’twas  fo  contriv’d,  that  he  Bill  found  one  of  his 
Wives  at  every  new  Stage  he  came  to. 

Adultery  is  punifhed  among  them  with  the 
Death  of  both  Parties.  Yet  if  the  Woman  con- 
felTes  the  Fac5t  to  her  Husband,  and  fwears  fhe 
was  forc’d,  fhe  finds  Favour:  But  if  fhe  conceals 
it,  and  it  be  prov’d  againft  her,  fhe  is  burn’d. 
Their  Laws  are  fevere  alfo  in  other  refpec5ts; 
for  a Thief  dies  without  Mercy. 

If  a Man  debauches  a Virgin,  they  thruft  a fort 
of  Bryer  up  the  paffage  of  his  Penisy  and  then 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


156 


turn  it  round  ten  or  a dozen  times : Whicli  is  not 
only  a great  Torment,  but  commonly  mortifies 
the  part ; and  the  Perfon  dies  of  it ; but  he  has 
liberty  to  cure  himfelf  if  he  can.  Thefe  Fadts 
muft  be  proved  by  Oath;  which  is  by  their 
Tooth. 

When  they  marry,  the  Father  of  the  Bride,  Their 
or  the  next  Man  of  Kin,  keeps  her  privately  in  Marriage, 
the  fame  Apartment  with  himfelf  the  firft  feven 
Nights;*  whether  to  exprefs  an  unwillingnefs 
to  part  with  her,  or  for  what  other  Reafon  I know 
not;  and  fhe  is  then  deliver’d  to  her  Husband. 

[164]  When  a Man  difpofes  of  his  Daughter, 
he  invites  all  the  Indians  within  20  Miles  round, 
to  a great  Feaft,  which  he  provides  for  them. 

The  Men  who  come  to  the  Wedding  bring  their  Prefents 
Axes  along  with  them,  to  work  with:  The  brought. 
Women  bring  about  half  a Bufhel  of  Maiz:  The 
Boys  bring  Fruit  and  Roots:  The  Girls  Fowls 
and  Eggs ; for  none  come  empty-handed.  They 
fet  their  Prefents  at  the  door  of  the  Houfe,  and 
go  away  again,  till  all  the  reft  of  the  Guefts 
have  brought  theirs;  which  are  all  receiv’d  in, 
and  difpos’d  of  by  the  People  of  the  Houfe. 

* Davis,  in  the  second  edition,  p.  273,  states  that  he  was 
informed  by  Captain  Christian  that  Pedro,  the  Indian  “ King,” 

‘ ‘ had  several  wives  more  [than  the  one  whom  the  Spaniards 
saw]  and  that  he  had  had  a Child  by  one  of  his  own  Daugh- 
ters, and  that  that  is  very  common  among  them ; it  is  their 
way,  that  whenever  they  Marry  their  Daughters,  that  the 
Father  (if  able)  lies  with  them  first,  if  she  is  a Maid,  and  if 
the  Father  is  very  Old,  and  past  his  Labour,  then  the  Eldest 
Son  does  that  Office,  and  the  next  day  all  his  and  her 
Friends  meet,  and  put  them  together:  This  Captain  Chris- 
tian is  very  well  acquainted  with  all  their  methods,  for  he 
lived  among  them  some  Years.” 


166 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Marriage 

Ceremonies. 


Working 
for  the  now 
Couple. 


Then  the  Men  return  firft  to  the  Wedding, 
and  the  Bridegroom  prefents  each  Man  with  a 
Calabafh  of  ftrong  Drink,  and  condndts  them 
through  the  Houfe  one  by  one,  into  fome  open 
place  behind  it.  The  Women  come  next,  who 
likewife  receive  a Calabafh  of  Liquor,  and 
march  through  the  Houfe.  Then  come  the 
Boys,  and  laft  of  all  the  Girls;  who  all  drink  at 
the  Door,  and  go  after  the  reft. 

Then  come  the  Fathers  of  the  young  Couple, 
with  their  Son  and  [165]  Daughter:  The  Father 
of  the  Bridegroom  leads  his  Son,  and  the  Father 
of  the  Bride  leads  his  Daughter.  The  former 
makes  a Speech  to  the  Company ; and  then 
dances  about,  with  many  Antick  Geftures,  till 
he  is  all  on  a Sweat.  Then  kneeling  down  he 
gives  his  Son  to  the  Bride;  whofe  Father  is 
kneeling  alfo  and  holds  her,  having  danc’d  him- 
felf  into  a Sweat,  as  the  other.  Then  the  young 
Couple  take  each  other  by  the  Hand,  and  the 
Bridegroom  returns  the  Bride  to  her  Father; 
and  thus  ends  the  Ceremony. 

^ Then  all  the  Men  take  up  their  Axes,  and  run 
fhouting  and  hollowing  to  a Tradt  of  Wood- 
land, which  is  before  laid  out  for  a Plantation 
for  the  young  Couple.  There  they  fall  to 
work,  cutting  down  the  Woods,  and  clearing 
the  Ground  as  faft  as  they  can.  Thus  they 
continue  about  Seven  Days,  working  with  the 
greateft  Vigour  imaginable : And  all  the  Ground 
which  they  clear,  the  Women  and  Children 
plant  with  Maiz,  or  whatever  elfe  is  agreeable 
to  the  Seafon.  They  alfo  build  a Houfe  for  the 
new-married  Couple  to  live  in. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


157 


[i66]  The  Seven  Days  being  ended,  and  the  The  Mar- 
yonng  Man  fetled  with  his  Wife  in  his  new  Feaft. 
Honfe,  the  Company  make  merry  there  with 
Chicha-Co-pah,  the  Corn-drink  before  defcrib’d, 
of  which  they  are  fnre  to  provide  good  flore. 

They  alfo  make  Provifion  for  Feafting;  and  the 
Guefts  fall  to  very  heartily. 

When  their  Eating  is  over,  the  Men  fall  to  Hard 
hard  Drinking:  But  before  they  begin,  the  Drinking. 
Bridegroom  takes  all  their  Arms,  and  hangs 
them  to  the  Ridge-pole  of  the  Honfe,  where 
none  can  come  at  them  but  himfelf : For  they 
are  very  quarrelfome  in,  their  Drink.  They  Care  to 
continue  drinking  Night  and  Day,  till  all  the  prevent 
Liquor  is  fpent ; which  lafts  ufually  3 or  4 Days. 

During  which  fome  are  always  drinking,  while 
others  are  drunk  and  fleeping:  And  when  all 
the  Drink  is  out,  and  they  have  recover’d  their 
Senfes,  they  all  return  to  their  own  Homes. 

They  have  Feafting  on  other  Occafions  alfo,  other  FeaUs 
as  after  a great  Council  held,  or  any  other  Meet-  ^ Meals, 
ing ; which  they  have  fometimes  only  for 
Merriment.  The  Men  conflantly  drink  to  [167] 
one  another  at  Meals,  fpeaking  fome  Word,  and 
reaching  out  the  Cup  towards  the  Perfon  they 
drink  to.  They  never  drink  to  their  Women ; 
but  thefe  conflantly  Hand  by  and  attend  them 
while  they  are  eating;  take  the  Cup  of  any  one 
who  has  drank,  throw  out  the  remainder  of  the 
Liquor,  rinfe  it,  and  give  it  full  to  another. 

The  Women  at  all  Feafts,  and  in  their  own 
Houfes,  wait  on  their  Husbands  till  they  have 
done ; and  then  go  and  Eat  by  themfelves,  or 
with  one  another. 


158 


WAFERS  DARIEN 


The  Mens 
Employ- 
ments. 


Their 

Recreation. 


Dancing. 


The  Men,  when  they  are  at  home,  trouble 
themfelves  little  with  any  Buiinefs;  but  that 
they  may  not  be  quite  idle,  they  will  often  be 
making  their  Cups  and  Baskets,  Arrows  and 
Heads  for  them,  Lances,  Nets,  and  the  like. 

The  Men  make  alfo  a fort  of  Pipes  of  fmall 
hollow  Bamboes,  and  fometimes  of  a lingle 
Reed.  They  cut  Notches  in  it,  and  blow  it 
flrongly,  making  a whining  Noife,  but  without 
any  diftindt  Notes:  And  they  frequently  enter- 
tain themfelves  with  fuch  Inflruments,  as  they 
us’d  in  their  Pawawing.  They  will  do  any  thing 
[i68]  to  make  a Noife,  which  they  love  much; 
and  they  keep  every  one  a Humming  at  the 
fame  time  to  themfelves. 

They  Hum  alfo  when  they  Dance,  which  they 
do  many  times  30  or  40  in  a ring.  Men  only 
together.  They  ffcretch  out  their  Hands, 
laying  them  on  one  an  others  Shoulders.  Then 
they  move  gently  iideways  round  in  the  fame 
Circle;  and  fhake  all  the  Joints  of  their  Bodies 
with  a wrigling  An  tick  Gefture,  as  they  move 
along  the  Ring. 

They  pipe  and  drum  often,  even  at  working 
times ; but  their  dancing  they  ufe  chiefly  when 
they  get  together  to  make  merry.  When  they 
have  danc’d  fome  time,  one  or  other  of  the 
Company  goes  out  of  the  Ring,  jumps  about, 
and  plays  Antick  Tricks,  throwing  and  catching 
his  Lance,  bending  back  towards  the  Ground  and 
fpringing  forward  again,  with  many  other  Mo- 
tions like  our  Tumblers ; but  with  more  Adtivity 
than  Art : And  when  one  is  tired  with  his 
Tricks,  another  fteps  out,  and  fometimes  2 or  3 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


159 


together.  As  foon  as  ever  'tis  over,  they  jump 
into  the  [169]  River,  all  in  a violent  Sweat  as 
they  are,  and  there  wafh  themfelves  clean ; and 
when  they  come  out  of  the  Water,  they  ftroke 
it  off  from  their  Hair  and  Bodies  with  their 
Hands.  A Dancing-bout,  if  the  meeting  be 
large,  lafts  fometimes  a whole  Day,  feldom  lefs 
than  5 or  6 Hours ; and  ’tis  ufually  after  having  a 
fhort  drinking  Bout : But  they  dont  dance  after 
they  have  drank  very  hard. 

Thefe,  and  the  huntings  and  f hooting  at  a 
Mark,  are  their  chief  Divertifements ; for  both 
Men  and  Boys  will  be  letting  fly  at  any  thing 
they  fee,  tho’  for  nothing  but  exercife  or  trial 
of  Skill.  The  Women  have  Dancings  and 
Merriments  by  themfelves,  when  their  Huf- 
bands  Pafhimes  are  over;  for  they  never  feaffc 
nor  play  together  with  the  Men : But  they  will 
drink  by  themfelves  till  they  are  fuddled. 

The  Women  take  great  care  of  their  Huf- 
bands  when  they  have  made  themfelves  drunk. 
For  when  they  perceive  him  in  fuch  a Condition 
that  he  can  bear  up  no  longer,  they  get  one  or 
two  more  Women  to  affift  them  to  take  him  up, 
and  put  him  [170]  into  his  Hammock;  where  as 
he  lies  Snoring,  they  ftand  by  and  fprinkle 
Water  on  his  Body  to  cool  him,  wafhing  his 
Hands,  Feet  and  Face;  ftroking  off  that  Water 
with  their  Hands,  as  it  grows  warm,  and  throw- 
ing on  frefh.  I have  feen  10  or  12  or  more, 
lying  thus  in  their  Hammocks  after  a Feafh,  and 
the  Women  ffcanding  by  to  look  after  them. 

The  Men.  never  ftir  abroad  upon  the  moft 
ordinary  Occafions,  if  it  be  but  juft  without  the 


The 

Womens 

Diverlions. 


Their  care 
of  their 
drunken 
Husbands. 


160 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


Hunting  Ex- 
peditions. 


Provifions. 


door  to  make  Water,  but  they  take  with  them 
fome  or  other  of  their  Weapons,  their  Bow  and 
Arrow,  Lance,  Hatchet,  or  Macheat  or  Long- 
knife.  Their  mofl  frequent  Expeditions,  in 
time  of  Peace,  are  to  go  a Hunting.  For  this 
is  their  way  of  fupplying  themfelves  with  Flefh ; 
and  they  go  out  as  often  as  it  fails  at  home. 
They  fometimes  go  out  a Family  or  two  only  by 
themfelves;  but  they  have  often  larger  and 
more  folemn  Huntings,  of  a great  many  in  com- 
pany together:  And  there  is  feldom  a Council 
held,  or  Feaft,  but  there  is  fome  Hunting-Match 
concluded  on  before  they  part ; and  a time  f et 
for  every  one  to  ap-[i7i]pear  with  their  feveral 
Neceffaries,  at  the  general  Rendezvous. 

A Hunting- Expedition  lafts  fometimes  3 or 
4,  fometimes  10,  12,  17  or  18  Days,  according 
as  they  meet  with  the  Game,  and  as  the  Courfe 
is  which  they  fteer  to  find  it:  For  fometimes 
they  will  range  to  the  Borders,  to  vifit  or  trafiick 
with  their  Neighbouring  Indians',  and  they  will 
hunt  all  the  way  as  they  go  and  return.  They 
hunt  more  or  lefs  at  all  Seafons  of  the  Year; 
never  regarding  whether  their  Venifon  be  in 
Seafon  or  not.  They  take  with  them  one  or 
two  Dogs  apiece,  to  beat  about ; and  there  go  as 
well  Women  as  Men.  When  I went  with  them 
a Hunting,  a young  Woman  was  appointed  me 
to  wait  on  me,  and  carry  my  Basket  of  Provi- 
fions. 

The  Women  carry  in  their  Baskets,  Plan- 
tains, Bonanoes,  Yams,  Potatoes  and  Caffava- 
roots,  ready  roafled;  but  in  the  Woods,  among 
the  ruin'd  Plantations,  they  often  meet  with 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


161 


green  Plantains  which  they  drefs  there,  and 
with  thefe  Roots : So  that  if  they  go  defignedly 
among  fuch  Plantations,  they  carry  the  lefs  with 
them.  [172]  They  carry  alfo  fome  parch’d  Maiz 
in  Meal  or  Flower,  and  fome  ripe  Plantains  raw, 
to  make  Mijlaw  with.  This  is  all  their  Provi- 
fion.  Every  Woman  carries  a Calabafh;  and 
there  are  one  or  two  Pipkins  among  them  all. 

The  Men  carry  Bows  and  Arrows,  and  Lances, 
a Tamahock  or  little  Axe,  and  a Machete.  All 
go  barefoot,  and  are  often  fcratch’d  in  the 
Woods,  but  matter  it  not.  They  hunt  Pecary ^ The  Game. 
Warree,  QuaumSj  Chicaly-Chicalees^  Corrofou  s,  or 
any  other  Beaft  or  Bird  they  meet  with,  except 
Monkeys  and  Deer.  The  Fowls,  and  what  will 
not  be  fo  eaiily  preferv’d,  they  eat  prefently. 

They  lodge  all  Night  at  any  place  where  they 
happen  to  be  at  Sun-fet,  fo  it  be  near  a Brook 
or  River,  and  on  the  Nap  of  a Hill.  They 
hang  up  their  Hammocks  between  two  Trees, 
and  cover  themf elves  with  a Plantain- Leaf,  for 
Shelter  from  Rain,  Wind,  &c,  with  a Fire  all 
Night  by  the  Hammock.  They  never  hunt 
after  Sun-fet;  and  begin  not  again  till  Sun-rife. 

Their  chief  Game  are  the  Pecary  and  Warree\ 
neither  of  which  are  fwift  of  foot.  They  go  in 
Droves,  often  200  [173]  or  300;  fo  that  if  the 
Indians  come  upon  them  unawares,  they  ufually 
kill  fome  by  random  Shot  among  them.  But 
elfe,  they  are  many  times  a whole  Day  without 
getting  any ; or  fo  few,  conlidering  how  many 
they  ftart,  that  it  feems  a great  Toil  to  little 
purpofe.  I have  feen  about  1000  ffcarted  in  a 
Day,  in  feveral  Droves,  when  I was  hunting 


162 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


with  them;  of  which  we  kill’d  but  two,  as  I 
remember.  Sometimes  when  they  are  fhot, 
they  carry  away  the  Arrows  quite.  When  the 
Beaft  is  tir’d,  it  will  ftand  at  a Bay  with  the 
Dogs;  which  will  fet  him  round,  lying  clofe, 
not  daring  to  feize,  but  fnapping  at  the  But- 
tocks ; and  when  they  fee  their  Mafler  behind  a 
Tree  ready  to  fhoot,  they  all  withdraw  to  avoid 
the  Arrow.  As  foon  as  an  Indian  hath  fhot  a 
Pecary  or  Warree^  he  runs  in  and  lances  them; 
then  he  unbowels  them,  throwing  away  the 
Guts,  and  cuts  them  in  two  acrofs  the  middle. 
Then  he  cuts  a piece  of  Wood  fharp  at  both 
ends;  fticks  the  forepart  of  the  Beaft  at  one  end, 
and  the  hinder  part  at  the  other.  So  each  lay- 
ing his  Stick  acrofs  his  Shoulder,  they  go  to  the 
Rendez-[i74]vous,  where  they  appointed  the 
Women  to  be;  after  which  they  carry  their 
Meat  home,  firft  Barbecuing  it  that  Night. 

When  they  take  a Beaft  or  Bird,  they  pierce 
it  with  the  Lances,  or  fhoot  Arrows  into  it,  to 
let  out  the  Blood.  Then  they  quarter  it  (firft 
Curing  the  cutting  off  the  Head) ; and  if  it  be  a Pecary  they 
Meat.  fcald  off  the  Hair  with  hot  Water;  if  a Warree, 

they  flea  it.  From  fome  of  the  Birds  they  ftrip 
the  Feathers  only,  from  others  the  Skin  alfo: 
And  this  not  regularly,  while  the  Carkafs  is 
whole,  but  piece-meal,  after  they  have  difmem- 
ber’d  it;  efpecially  in  their  Journies. 

If  they  intend  to  preferve  any,  having  little 
Salt,  they  erec5t  four  forked  Sticks  8 or  9 Foot 
af under,  on  which  they  lay  two  parallel  Staves 
that  fhall  be  above  a Foot  from  the  Ground,  and 
fo  make  a Barbecue.  Acrofs  thefe  Staves  they 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


163 


lay  the  pieces  of  the  Beafts  or  Birds ; and  fpread 
underneath  a few  live  Coals,  to  make  which  they 
bum  a parcel  of  Wood  on  pnrpofe;  and  turn 
the  fame  pieces,  and  renew  this  fmall  Fire  for 
three  or  four  Days,  or  a Week,  till  the  Meat  be 
as  dry  as  [175]  a Chip,  or  like  our  fmoak’d  Beef. 

This  they  do  abroad  if  they  kill  a great  many 
Pecary,  Birds,  &c.  and  bring  the  pieces  home 
ready  dried:  And  if  there  be  much  of  it,  the 
Men  help  the  Women  to  carry  home  the  Veni- 
fon.  Thefe  pieces  will  keep  a great  while ; and 
when  the  Stock  is  almofl  out,  they  go  again  a 
hunting.  They  make  a Bafbecue  at  home  alfo, 
heaping  up  thefe  dried  pieces  acrofs,  and  often 
putting  fome  Embers  underneath,  to  keep  them 
from  giving,  or  growing  mufly,  in  that  moift 
Country.  From  thefe  pieces  they  cut  off  bits 
for  ufe  as  they  want  them. 

If  they  take  any  parcels  of  their  dried  Flefh,  Their 
or  any  newly  kill’d,  they  cut  it  into  fmall  pieces.  Cookery; 
and  throw  them  into  the  Pipkin ; putting  into 
it  fome  of  the  Roots  and  green  Plantains  or 
Bonano’s,  or  any  other  Eatable,  and  a great  deal 
of  Pepper ; ftewing  all  together  by  a fimmering, 
gentle  Heat,  never  boiling  it.  The  Veffel 
Bands  thus  clofe  cover’d  for  feven  or  eight 
Hours,  for  ’tis  fet  on  very  early  in  the  Morning, 
and  they  flay  till  all  be  brought  to  Pulp  or 
Mafh.  This  is  for  fet  Meals;  for  [176]  Plan- 
tains and  Bonanoes  they  eat  all  Day ; but  this 
fet  Meal  of  Flefh  they  eat  but  once,  about  Mid- 
day only.  The  Mafh  they  pour  out  into  a large 
Earthen  Difh  or  Calabafh,  fetting  it  on  the  and  manner 
great  Block  which  is  in  every  Houfe  as  a Table,  Eating. 


164 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Their 

Travelling. 


fitting  round  on  little  Blocks  as  on  Stools.  But 
at  great  Feafts,  for  large  Companies,  they  make 
a great  Barbecue  lo,  12,  or  20  Foot  long,  or 
more,  as  the  Company  is,  and  broad  proportion- 
ably:  They  fpread  on  it  3 or  4 Breadths  of 
Plantain-leaves  for  a Table-Cloth.  Every  one 
has  a Calabafh  of  Water  {landing  by  him  at  his 
Right  Hand,  on  the  Ground.  In  Eating,  they 
dip  the  two  fore  Fingers  of  the  Right  Hand, 
bent  hook-wife,  and  take  up  therewith  out  of 
the  Difh,  as  with  a Spoon,  as  much  as  they  can, 
flroking  it  acrofs  into  their  Mouths.  At  every 
Mouthful  they  dip  their  Fingers  into  the  Cala- 
bafh of  Water  by  their  Side,  whether  for 
Cleanlinefs  or  Cooling,  I know  not ; for  they  eat 
their  Meat  exceflive  hot,  as  well  as  violently 
pepper’d.  They  eat  nothing  with  it  as  Bread; 
but  when  they  have  a lump  of  Salt  (which  is 
rare)  at  every  three  [177]  or  four  Mouthfuls  they 
ftroke  it  over  their  Tongue,  to  give  a Relifh, 
and  then  lay  it  down  again. 

The  Indians,  when  they  Travel,  guide  them- 
f elves  either  by  the  Sun,  when  it  fhines,  or  by 
fleering  towards  fuch  a determinate  Point, 
obferving  the  bending  of  the  Trees,  according 
as  the  Wind  is.  If  they  are  at  a lofs  this  way, 
they  notch  the  Barks  of  Trees,  to  fee  which  fide 
is  thickefl ; which  is  always  the  South,  or  Sunny 
fide ; and  their  way  lies  generally  through 
Woods.  They  go  alfo  through  Swamps,  Boggs, 
Rivers,  drc.  where  there  is  no  fign  of  a Path, 
and  are  often  forc’d  to  turn  afide;  yet  will  keep 
their  way  pretty  diredl  for  f everal  Days  together ; 
clearing  their  way  through  Thickets  with  their 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


165 


Macheats,  efpecially  if  of  hollow  Bamboes,  for 
there  is  no  getting  through  without  it.  They 
fwim  over  Rivers,  Men,  Women  and  Children, 
without  felling  Trees  as  we  did  there.  But 
down  the  River  they  ufe  either  their  Canoas,  or 
Bark- Logs  made  of  Light- Wood. 

When  any  enquire  the  Way  of  them,  as  we 
had  feveral  times  occaflon  [178]  to  do  in  paffing 
and  repairing  the  I Jihmus^  their  ufual  Method  of 
informing  them  as  to  the  Bearing  of  the  Place 
they  enquire  after,  is  by  pointing  towards  it ; 
and  as  to  the  Time  in  which  they  may  hope  to 
arrive  there,  by  pointing  to  fome  part  of  the 
Arc  the  Sun  defcribes  in  their  Hemifphere : For 
according  as  they  point  higher  or  lower,  either 
to  the  Eafl  or  Weft  of  the  Meridian,  they  fug- 
geft  the  time  of  the  Day,  Morning  or  Afternoon, 
in  which  you  may  hope  to  arrive  at  the  River, 
Plantations,  or  whatever  ’tis  you  enquire  after. 
So  the  middle  diftance  between  the  Eaftern- 
Limb  of  the  Horizon,  and  the  Meridian,  fignifies 
9 a Clock  in  the  Morning ; |ths  of  the  South-weft 
Arc  of  the  Suns  Diurnal  Courfe  denotes  4 in  the 
Afternoon,  drc.  If  the  Time  they  would  inti- 
mate be  not  of  Hours  but  Days,  they  turn  their 
Faces  Southward,  and  defcribing  with  their 
Hand  the  Arc  of  the  Suns  Diurnal  Courfe  from 
Eaffc  to  Weft,  when  they  have  brought  their 
Hand  to  point  to  the  Weftern  Horizon,  they 
then  bring  it  to  the  fide  of  their  Head ; and  lay- 
ing down  their  Head  on  that  [179]  fide  upon  it, 
and  fhutting  their  Eyes,  counterfeit  for  a 
moment  their  being  afleep.  Then  repeating  the 
Motion  with  their  Hand,  and  the  intervening 


Shewing  the 
Way  and 
Time  by 
Signs. 


166 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Computa- 
tion of  Time. 


Numbers 
and  Calcula- 
tions. 


fleeping  times,  they  make  you  underftand  that 
there  will  be  fo  many  fleeping  Times  or  Nights 
before  you  arrive  at  the  Place  you  feek. 

I obferv’d  among  them  no  diftindtion  of 
Weeks  or  particular  Days;  no  parting  the  Day 
into  Hours,  or  any  Portions,  other  wife  than  by 
this  Pointing : And  when  they  ufe  this,  or  any 
other  Sign,  yet  they  fpeak  at  the  fame  time, 
and  exprefs  their  Meaning  in  their  own  Lan- 
guage, tho’  to  Europeans  who  underftand  it  not. 
They  reckon  Times  paft  by  no  Revolutions  of 
the  Heavenly  Bodies,  but  the  Moons:  For 
Lacenta  fpeaking  of  the  Havock  the  Spaniards 
had  made  to  the  We  ft  ward,  intimated  ’twas  a 
great  many  Moons  ago. 

Their  Computation  is  by  Unites  and  Tens, 
and  Scores,  to  an  Hundred;  beyond  which  I 
have  not  heard  them  reckon.  To  exprefs  a 
Number  above  this,  they  take  a Lock  of  their 
Hair,  little  or  great,  (in  proportion  to  the 
Number  they  would  [i8o]  intimate)  and  hold  it 
up  in  their  Hands,  forting  it  gradually  with 
their  Fingers,  and  fhaking  it.  To  exprefs  a 
Thing  innumerable,  they  take  up  all  the  Hair 
on  one  flde  of  the  Head,  and  fhake  it. 

When  we  went  into  the  South  Seas  under 
Captain  Sharp,  we  were  in  number  about  336, 
as  I remember ; * and  a pretty  many  of  the 
Indians  of  the  IJihmus  bore  us  Company  in  our 
March.  They  were  willing  to  take  an  Account 
of  our  Number  as  we  march’d;  fo  one  of  the 

*Ringrose,  p.  6,  says  327,  not  including  four  men  who 
“ tyred,  and  returned  back  unto  the  Ships  ” at  the  end  of  the 
first  day’s  march. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


167 


Indians  fat  in  the  Path,  and  having  a little  heap 
of  Maiz-grains  by  him,  for  every  Man  of  ours 
that  pafs’d  by  him  he  put  one  Grain  into  his 
Basket.  When  he  had  thus  taken  a great  part 
of  our  Number,  one  of  our  Men,  in  paffing  by, 
gave  his  Basket  purpofely  a Tofs,  and  threw 
out  his  Corn,  and  fo  fpoil’d  his  Account.  This 
feem’d  to  difpleafe  them:  Yet  one  of  them  got 
a little  before,  and  fitting  clofe  in  the  Wood,  at 
a fmall  diftance  from  the  narrow  Path,  which 
we  were  to  pafs  one  by  one,  he  there  took  our 
Number  in  Grains  of  Maiz.  But  when  he  had 
taken  his  Account,  they  were  put  [i8i]  to  it  to 
caft  it  up : For  two  or  three  Days  after,  in  the 
progrefs  of  our  March,  coming  among  fome  of 
the  Southern  Indians^  we  faw  fome  20  or  30  of 
the  graver  Men  got  together,  and  trying  their 
Skill  to  compute  the  Grains  in  the  Basket ; which 
when  they  had  laid  upon  a Plantain- Leaf, 
feveral  of  them  indeavour’d  to  tell  one  after 
another : But  when  they  could  tell  no  further, 
(the  Number,  probably,  exceeding  their  Arith- 
metick)  and  feem’d  to  grow  very  hot,  and  earneft 
in  their  Debates  about  it ; one  of  them  ftarted  up, 
and  forting  out  a Lock  of  his  Hair  with  his  Fin- 
gers, and  fhaking  it,  feem’d  to  intimate  the  Num- 
ber to  be  great  and  unknown ; and  fo  put  an  end 
to  the  Difpute.  But  one  of  them  came  after  us, 
and  enquir’d  our  Number  in  broken  Spanifh, 
Their  Cardinal  Numbers,  One,  Two,  Three, 
they  name  thus: 

1 . Conjugo. 

2.  Poquah, 

3.  Pauquah. 


Numeral 

Names. 


168 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


4- 

5- 

[182]  6. 

7- 

8. 

9* 

10. 

11. 


12. 

13* 

20. 

40. 


Pakequah. 

Eterrah. 

Indricah. 

Coogolah. 

Paukopah, 

Pakekopah. 

Anivego. 

Anivego  Conjugo. 
Anivego  Poquah. 
Anivego  Pauqua^  Sic, 
Toola  Boguah. 

Toola  Guannah, 

And  fo  on  to  100.* 


Under  10  they  content  themf elves  with  nam- 
ing the  particular  Number  at  once;  which  they 
do  readily.  But  at  the  fame  time  that  they 
name  Anivego^  or  10,  they  clap  together  their 
expanded  Hands.  And  for  ii,  12,  13,  &c.  to 
20.  they  clap  together  their  Hands,  and  fay 
Anivego  \ and  then  feparating  them,  they  ftrike 

* The  most  convincing  proof  of  the  honesty  and  reliability 
of  Wafer’s  observations  is  furnished  by  the  vocabularies  of  the 
Indians  of  this  region  printed  by  Sr.  Restrepo.  The  first  was 
collected  by  General  Joaquin  Acosta  in  1820,  and  the  second  by 
Dr.  Cullen  whose  Darien  Ship  Canal  was  published  in  1853. 


Acosta  : Cullen  : 


I. 

Cuencheco. 

Cuinchecua. 

2. 

Pogua. 

Pocoa. 

3- 

Pagua. 

Paqua. 

4- 

Paquegua. 

Paquegua. 

5- 

A tale. 

Aptali. 

6. 

Nergua. 

Nercua. 

7- 

Anvege. 

Cugle. 

8. 

Cugule. 

Pabagi. 

9- 

Paquebag. 

10. 

Ambe. 

20. 

Tulaquena. 

WAFER’S  DARIEN 


169 


in  order  the  Fingers  of  the  left  Hand,  one  by 
one,  with  the  Fore-finger  of  the  right,  faying, 

Anivego  Conjugo^  Anivego  Poquay  Anivego  Pauquay 
&c.  to  the  Number  they  would  exprefs,  if 
under  20. 

When  they  would  exprefs  20,  they  clap  their 
Hands  twice,  (once  at  every  10)  and  fay  Toola 
Boguah.  Toola  [183]  feems  to  fignifie  the  fame 
with  them,  as  Score  with  us.  For  21,  they  fay 
Toola  hoguah  Conjugo;  22,  Toola  hoguah  Poquahy 
&c.  To  exprefs  30,  they  clap  their  Hands 
thrice,  and  fay  Toola  boguah  Anivego y (Twenty 
and  Ten);  for  31,  Toola  hognah  Anivego  Conjugo y 
(Twenty  and  Eleven),  and  fo  on  to  40;  when 
again  they  clap  their  Hands  four  times,  and  fay, 
implying  another  Score ; 41,  Toola 
guannah  Conjugo y &c.  50,  Toola  guannah  Anivego y 
(Two  Score  and  Ten);  51,  Toola  guannah  Anivego 
Conjugo y (Two  Score  and  Eleven),  The  Name 
of  the  other  Scores  to  100,  I know  not;  and 
there  are  few  of  them  can  reckon  fo  far:  For 
while  I was  among  them,  I was  induftrious  to 
learn  their  Numbers,  and  'twas  a Diverfion  I 
had  with  them ; for  they  liked  well  my  trying 
to  imitate  them,  and  would  be  very  merry  upon 
it : But  'twas  not  every  one  could  readily  carry 
me  much  farther  than  I have  now  reckon’d,  or 
fet  me  right  if  I was  out. 

Their  way  of  Reckoning  thus  from  Score  to  Reckoning 
Score,  is  no  more  than  what  our  old  Englifh  way  Scores, 
was:  But  their  [184]  faying  inftead  of  31,  32. 

One  Score  and  Eleven,  One  Score  and  Twelve, 

&c.  is  much  like  the  High-Landers  of  Scotland 
and  Irelandy  reckoning  Eleven  and  Twenty, 


170 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Irifh  and 
Scotch 
Highland- 
ers Num- 
bers. 


Twelve  and  Twenty,  &c.  fo  for  53,  the  High- 
Landers  fay  Thirteen  and  Twofcore,  as  the 
Darien  Indians  would,  Two  Score  and  Thirteen, 
only  changing  the  Place.  In  my  Youth  I was 
well  acquainted  with  the  High-Land^  or  Primi- 
tive Irifh  Language ; both  as  it  is  fpoken  in  the 
North  of  Ireland^  particularly  at  the  Navan  upon 
the  Boyne,  and  about  the  Town  of  Virgini  upon 
Lough  Rammer  in  the  Barony  of  Cajile  Raghen, 
in  the  County  of  Cavan',  and  alfo  in  the  High- 
Lands  of  Scotland,  where  I have  been  up  and. 
down  in  feveral  Places.  Their  way  of  Reckon- 
ing may  be  a Curiofity  to  fome;  for  which 
Reafon  I have  here  inferted  a Table  of  it ; fpelt, 
not  according  to  the  Orthography,  but  the  Pro- 
nunciation. 

[185]  I.  Hean. 

2.  Dq>. 

3 . Tree. 

4.  Caher. 

5.  Cooig. 

6.  Shae. 

7.  Shaucht. 

8.  Oacht. 

9.  Nnye. 

10.  Deh. 

11.  Heanegg. 

12.  Dibeegg. 

13.  Treedeegg. 

14.  Caherdeeg. 

15.  Cooigdeegg. 

16.  Shaedeegg. 

17.  Shaucht de egg. 

18.  Oachtdeegg. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


171 


19. 

20. 


21. 


22. 

23- 

30. 

31- 

[186]  32. 

40. 

41. 

42. 
50. 
SI- 
52. 

60. 

61. 
70. 
80. 
90. 

100. 

200. 

1000. 

1000000. 


Nnyedeegg. 

Feh.  A Score. 

Hean  augus  feh.  Briefly  ausfeh\  augus 

[fignifies  and. 

Do)  augus  feh.  Two  and  a Score. 
Tree  augus  feh.  Three,  &c. 

Deh  augus  feh.  Ten  and  a Score. 
Heanegg  augus  feh.  Eleven  and  a 

[Score. 

D(beegg  augus  feh. 

Yoyiht. 

Hean  augus  tF  yoyiht. 

Dm  augus  tK  yoyiht. 

Deh  augus  th'  yoyiht. 

Heanegg  augus  tK  yoyiht. 

Dmeegg  augus  th'  yoyiht. 

Tree  feht. 

Hean  augus  Tree  feht. 

Deh  augus  Tree  feht. 

Careh-fehth. 

Deh  augus  Careh-fehth. 

Cooig  fehth\  or  Caed^  a Hundred. 
Oychead. 

Meelah. 

Meelioon. 


My  Knowledge  of  the  High-Land  Language 
made  me  the  more  capable  of  learning  the 
Darien  Indians  Language,  when  I was  among 
them.  For  there  is  fome  Affinity,  not  in  the 
Signification  of  the  Words  of  each  Language, 
but  in  the  Pronunciation,  which  I could  eafily 
imitate ; both  being  fpoken  pretty  much  in  the 
Throat,  with  frequent  Afpirates,  and  much  the 
fame  fharp  or  circumflex  Tang  or  Cant.  I 


Indian  Pro- 
nunciation 
compar'd 
with  theirs. 


172 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Indian 

Words. 


learn ’d  a great  deal  [187]  of  the  Darien  Language 
in  a Months  Converfation  with  them ; for  I was 
always  asking  what  they  call’d  this  and  that: 
And  Lacenta  was  continually  talking  with  me; 
who  fpake  alfo  a few  Words  of  broken  Spanifh, 
I took  no  care  to  retain  any  of  the  Indians  Lan- 
guage ; but  fome  few  Words  that  I ftill  remem- 
ber, I have  here  put  as  a Specimen. 

Tautah,  Father. 

Naunah^  Mother. 

Poonah^  Woman. 

Roopah,  Brother. 

Bidama  f oquah  Roopoh  ? How  do  you  Brother? 
Neenah^  a Girl. 

Nee,  the  Moon. 

Chaunah,  Go. 

Chaunah  Weemacah\  Make  haft,  run. 

Shennorung\  big,  a great  Thing. 

Eechah,  ugly. 

Paeecha\  foh!  ugly! 

Eechah  Malooquah,  (an  Expreffion  of  great  dif- 
like). 

Cotchah,  deep. 

Caupah,  a Hammock. 

Cotchah  Caupah  ? Will  you  go  deep  in  the 
Hammock  ? 

[188]  Papoonah  eetah  Caupah?  Woman,  have 
you  got  the  Hammock? 

Doolah,  Water. 

Doolah  Copah  ? Will  you  drink  Water? 
Chicha-Copah,  Maiz-drink. 

Mamaubah,  Fine. 

Cah,  Pepper. 

Aupah  eenah?  What  do  you  call  this? 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


173 


[189]  Mr.  Wafer's  Voyages,  &c. 

Having  tlms  gone  over  the  IJihmus,  and 
made  fucli  Obfervations  about  it  as 
occurr’d  to  me,  I fhall  now  refume  the 
Thread  of  my  Voyage,  which  I broke  in  the 
South  Sea,  at  Realeja  on  the  Coaft  of  Mexico^ 
where  I parted  with  Mr.  Dampier^  after  my 
fecond  being  with  him  in  thofe  Seas.  Captain 
Swan,  in  the  Cygnet,  was  going  to  the  Weft- 
ward;  and  Mr.  Dumpier  chofe  to  go  with  him. 
I ftaid  with  Captain  Davis,  in  the  Batchelors 
Delight',  and  he  was  for  going  again  to  the 
Southward. 

So  we  left  them  in  the  Harbour  of  Realeja, 
when  we  fet  out  Aug.  27.  1685.  with  three  other 
Veffels  in  our  Company.  But  our  Men  growing 
very  hck  when  we  were  got  out  to  Sea,  we  foon 
put  into  the  Gulph  of  Amapalla.  There  we  lay 
feveral  Weeks  at  a fmall  Ifland,  on  which  we 
built  Huts  for  our  fick  Men,  whom  we  put 
afhore.  In  our  4 fmall  Ships,  we  had  then 
above  130  fick  [190]  of  the  Spotted  Fever,  many 
of  whom  died:  Yet  tho’  I attended  them  every 
Day,  I thank  God  I efcap’d  the  Infection.  But 
’tis  not  my  Intention  to  particularize  as  to  all 
the  Places  or  Occurrences  we  met  with ; for  I 


The  Rela- 
tion of  the 
Voyage  con- 
tinued. 

See  p.  44. 
Harbour  of 
Realeja. 


See  Dam- 
pier'^  Voy- 
ages, Vol.  I. 
p.  223. 

Gulph  of 
A mapalla. 


174 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


Hot  River. 


Fierce 

Wolves. 


kept  no  Journal:  But  fome  fuck  Things  as  I 
took  more  particular  Notice  of,  and  thought 
worth  remarking,  I fhall  briefly  fpeak  of  as  I go 
along. 

Being  in  great  want  of  Provifion  while  we  lay 
here,  we  went  afhore,  in  order  to  fupply  our 
Neceffities  at  a Beef-Eftantion  on  the  Continent, 
at  the  South  of  the  Cod  of  the  Bay,  which  lay 
from  the  Landing-place  about  three  Miles.  In 
our  way  we  were  forced  to  pafs  a hot  River  in 
an  open  Savannah,  altho’  we  made  fome  diffl- 
culty  at  it  by  reafon  of  its  Heat.  This  River 
iffued  out  from  under  a Hill:  But  it  was  no 
Vulcan,  tho'  there  are  feveral  on  this  Coaffc.  I 
had  the  Curioflty  to  wade  up  the  Stream  as  far 
as  I had  Day -light  to  guide  me:  The  Water 
was  clear  and  fhallow,  but  the  Steams  under 
the  Hill  were  like  thofe  of  a boiling  Pot,  and  my 
Hair  was  wet  with  them.  The  [191]  River 
without  the  Hill  reek’d  for  a great  way.  Many 
of  our  Men  who  had  the  Itch  bath’d  themf elves 
here,  and  growing  well  foon  after,  they  imputed 
it  to  the  Sulphuroufnefs,  or  other  Virtue  of  this 
Water.  In  this  place  are  a multitude  of  Wolves, 
which  are  the  boldeft  that  ever  I met  with ; for 
they  would  come  fo  near,  as  to  be  almoft  ready 
to  pull  the  Flefh  out  of  our  Hands:  Yet  we 
durft  not  fhoot  them  for  fear  the  noife  of  our 
Guns  fhould  call  more  to  their  Afliftance,  and 
we  went  but  ftragling  up  and  down. 

Our  Men  being  tolerably  well  recover’d,  we 
flood  away  to  the  Southward,  and  came  to  the 
Ifland  Cocos,  in  5 Deg.  15  Min.  N.  Lat.  ’Tis  fo 
call’d  from  its  Coco-Nuts,  wherewith  ’tis  plenti- 


I.  Cocos, 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


175 


fully  ftor’d.  ’Tis  but  a fmall  Ifland,  yet  a very 
pleafant  one : For  the  middle  of  the  Ifland  is  a a pleafant 
fteep  Hill,  furrounded  all  about  with  a Plain, 
declining  to  the  Sea.  This  Plain,  and  particu- 
larly the  Valley  where  you  go  afhore,  is  thick 
fet  with  Coco-nut  Trees,  which  flourifh  here 
very  finely,  it  being  a rich  and  fruitful  Soil. 

They  grow  alfo  on  the  [192]  Skirts  of  the  hilly 
Ground  in  the  middle  of  the  Ifle,  and  fcattering 
in  Spots  upon  the  fides  of  it,  very  pleafantly. 

But  that  which  contributes  moft  to  the  Pleafure 
of  the  Place  is,  that  a great  many  Springs  of 
clear  and  fweet  Water  rifing  to  the  top  of  the 
Hill,  are  there  gather’d  as  in  a deep  large  Bafon 
or  Pond,  the  Top  fubfiding  inwards  quite  round ; 
and  the  Water  having  by  this  means  no  Chan- 
nel whereby  to  flow  along,  as  in  a Brook  or 
River,  it  overflows  the  Verge  of  its  Bafon  in 
feveral  Places,  and  runs  trickling  down  in  many 
pretty  Streams.  In  fome  Places  of  its  overflow- 
ing, the  Rocky  Sides  of  the  Hill  being  more 
than  perpendicular,  and  hanging  over  the  Plain 
beneath,  the  Water  pours  down  in  a Cataradt,  as  Arched 
out  of  a Bucket,  fo  as  to  leave  a Space  dry  Cataracts, 
under  the  Spout,  and  form  a kind  of  Arch  of 
Water;  which,  together  with  the  advantage  of 
the  Profpedt,  the  near  adjoining  Coco-nut  Trees, 
and  the  frefhnefs  which  the  falling  Water 
gives  the  Air  in  this  hot  Climate,  makes  it  a 
very  charming  Place,  and  delightful  to  feveral 
of  the  Senfes  at  once. 

[193]  Our  Men  were  very  much  pleas’d  with 
the  Entertainment  this  Ifland  afforded  them: 

And  they  alfo  fill’d  here  all  their  Water-Casks; 


176 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Numbed- 
nefs  with 
drinking 
Coco-milk. 


I.  Galla- 
pago's. 

Land-Tor- 

toife, 


for  here  is  excellent  frefh  Water  in  the  Rivulet, 
which  thofe  little  Cataradts  form  below  in  the 
Plain;  and  the  Ship  lay  juft  at  its  Outlet  into 
the  Sea,  where  there  was  very  good  Riding: 
So  that  ’tis  as  Commodious  a Watering-Place 
as  any  I have  met  with. 

Nor  did  we  fpare  the  Coco-nuts,  eating  what 
we  would,  and  drinking  the  Milk,  and  carry 
feveral  Hundreds  of  them  on  board.  Some  or 
other  of  our  Men  went  afhore  every  Day:  And 
one  Day  among  the  reft,  being  minded  to  make 
themfelves  very  merry,  they  went  afhore  and 
cut  down  a great  many  Coco-trees ; from  which 
they  gather’d  the  Fruit,  and  drew  about  20 
Gallons  of  the  Milk.  Then  they  all  fat  down 
and  drank  Healths  to  the  King,  Queen,  &c. 
They  drank  an  exceffive  quantity;  yet  it  did  not 
end  in  Drunkennefs : But  however,  that  fort  of 
Liquor  had  fo  chilled  and  benumb’d  their 
Nerves,  that  they  could  neither  go  nor  ftand: 
Nor  could  they  return  on  board  the  [194]  Ship, 
without  the  Help  of  thofe  who  had  not  been 
Partakers  in  the  Frolick : Nor  did  they  recover 
it  under  4 or  5 Days  time. 

From  hence  we  flood  on  ftill  to  the  South, 
and  came  to  one  of  the  Gallapago~li\dindiSy  lying 
under  the  Line.  Upon  one  of  thefe  Iflands  we 
found  a great  many  very  large  Land-Tortoife, 
of  that  fort  which  we  us’d  to  call  Hecatee,  Upon 
this  Ifland  is  no  Water  to  be  found,  but  in  one 
place,  whither  I obferv’d  thefe  Animals  fre- 
quently go  to  drink ; but  they  go  not  into  the 
Water. 

At  this  Ifland  there  was  but  one  Watering- 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


177 


place,  and  there  we  Careen’d  our  Ship.  Hither 
many  Turtle-Doves  and  other  Birds  retorted  for 
Water;  which  were  at  firft  fo  familiar  with  us, 
that  they  would  light  upon  our  Heads  and  Arms ; 
infomuch  that  for  feveral  Days  we  maintained 
the  Ships  Company  with  them:  But  in  a little 
time  they  began  to  be  fo  fhy,  that  we  could  kill 
none,  but  what  we  fhot.  Here  are  alfo  Guano' s 
very  plentiful,  which  are  very  good  Food. 
There  grows  a fort  of  Wood  in  this  Ifle  very 
fweet  in  fmell.  [195]  'Tis  but  a low  Tree,  not 
fhrubby , but  like  a Pear-tree,  tho’  thicker ; and 
full  of  very  fweet  Gum.  While  we  lay  here  at 
the  Gallapago' s,  we  took  in  at  one  of  the  Iflands 
there  500  Packs  of  Flower,  which  we  had  form- 
erly left  there  upon  the  Rocks;  * but  the  Turtle- 
Doves  had  devour’d  a great  deal  of  the  Flower, 
for  the  bags  lay  expos’d  to  the  Air. 

When  we  left  the  Gallapago  s we  went  cruifing 
upon  and  down  about  feveral  of  the  Iflands  and 
Coafts  of  Peru ; the  Particulars  of  which  I f hall 
not  trouble  the  Reader  with.  We  had  Engage- 
ments at  Guavra^  Guacha  and  Pifca\  and  the  two 
laft  very  fharp  ones,  yet  we  took  the  Towns. 
There  was  with  us  then  in  Company  Captain 
Knight  only;  for  the  other  two  Veflfels  that 


* In  May,  1684,  the  buccaneers  took  on  one  day  three  ships 
laden  with  flour,  bound  from  Guanchaquo,  the  seaport  of 
Truxillo,  to  Panama,  while  near  the  Lobos  Islands.  Thence 
they  sailed  to  the  Gallapagos  Islands,  where  “ we  stay'd  but 
12  days;  in  which  time  we  put  ashoar  5000  packs  of  Flower,  for 
a reserve,  if  we  should  have  occasion  of  any  before  we  left 
these  Seas.  . . . Captain  Davis  came  hither  a second 

time;  and  then'  he  went  to  other  Islands  on  the  West  side  of 
these.” — Dampier,  pp.  log-iio. 


Guano's. 


Flower  left 
there. 


Cruifing  on 
the  Coaft  of 
Peru. 


178 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Monkeys 
and  Oyfters 
at  Gorgonza* 


La  Nafca 
Wine. 


Coquimbo. 


Its  Gold 
River. 


came  with  us  from  Amapalla,  had  left  us  at  the 
Ifland  Cocos.  ’Twas  July  1686.  when  we  were 
at  Pifca^  and  Capt.  Knight  and  we  kept  Com- 
pany almoft  all  that  Year. 

Among  other  Places  we  were  at  the  Ifland 
Gorgonia^  where  we  clean’d;  and  I took  notice 
of'feveral  Monkeys  there  who  liv’d  partly  upon 
Oyfters,  [196]  which  they  got  out  of  the  Sea  at 
low  Water.  Their  way  was  to  take  up  an 
Oyfter,  and  lay  it  upon  a Stone;  and  with 
another  Stone  to  keep  beating  of  it,  till  they  had 
broke  the  Shell  to  pieces. 

We  were  together  alfo  at  La  Nafca,  which  is 
a fmall  Port,  in  the  Lat.  of  15  S.  It  affords 
abundance  of  rich,  ftrong  Wine,  (as  Pifca  and 
other  Places  on  that  Coaft  alfo  do)  tailed  much 
like  that  of  Madera.  ’Tis  brought  down  out  of 
the  Country  to  this  Port,  to  be  fhipt  for  Lima, 
Panama,  or  other  Places.  It  lies  here  fometimes 
many  Years  ilopt  up  in  Jars  of  about  eight  Gal- 
lons apiece:  But  the  Jars  are  under  no  Shelter, 
but  iland  expos’d  to  the  hot  fcorching  Sun; 
being  plac’d  along  the  Bay,  and  between  the 
Rocks,  every  Merchant  having  his  own  Mark’d. 
We  took  in  ilore  of  this  Wine. 

We  were  alfo  together  at  Coquimho,  a large 
Town  with  nine  Churches  in  it,  lying  in  about 
29  S.  Lat.  Here  we  landed  upon  a deep  Sand, 
in  a large  Bay,  which  had  a fmall  River  that 
ran  through  the  Country,  and  made  its  way  out 
three  Mile  below  the  [197]  Town.  In  this  River 
the  Spaniards  get  Gold  higher  up  in  the  Coun- 
try ; and  the  Sands  of  the  River  by  the  Sea,  as 
well  as  the  whole  Bay,  are  all  befpangled  with 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


179 


Particles  of  Gold ; infomticli  that  as  we  travelled 
along  the  Sandy  Bays,  our  People  were  covered 
with  a fine  Gold-duft ; but  too  fine  for  any  thing 
elfe;  for  ’twould  be  an  endlefs  Work  to  pick  it 
up.  This  Obfervation  I have  made  in  fome 
other  Places  along  the  Coaft,  where  any  of  thofe 
Gold-rivers  make  their  way  into  the  Sea  thro’ 
Sandy  Bays ; for  there  the  Sand  is  in  a manner 
guilded  by  them : But  all  that  is  worth  looking 
after  is  up  near  the  Rivers  Heads,  or  towards 
the  Mountains  they  fall  from,  where  the  weight- 
ier Grains  lodge ; for  none  but  this  meer  Duft 
of  it  is  wafh’d  down  to  the, Sea. 

We  went  after  this  to  the  Ifland  of  John  Fer- 
nando^  where  we  Careen’d;  and  there  Captain 
Knight  left  us,  making  the  beft  of  his  Way 
round  Terra  del  Fuego  to  the  Weji-Indies.  But 
we  were  for  Coafting  it  back  again  toward  the 
Line ; having  with  us  a Bark  we  had  taken  off 
Pifca, 

[198]  Going  off  therefore  iromjohn  Fernando' 
we  flood  yet  further  South  in  going  over  to  the 
Continent,  to  the  Latitude  of  39  S.  as  well  to 
gain  a Wind  as  to  have  the  more  of  the  Coaft 
before  us.  We  fell  in  firft  with  the  Ifland  of 
Mocha ^ which  lies  in  about  38  Deg.  20  Min.  S. 
and  wanting  Water  and  Provifion  we  came  to 
an  Anchor,  and  put  afhore  there,  about  the 
middle  of  December,  1686.  and  flay’d  5 or  6 
Days.  Here  we  were  very  well  relieved,  for 
the  Ifland  afforded  both  Water  and  frefh  Provi- 
fion for  our  Men,  all  the  time  we  flay’d.  The 
Land  is  very  low  and  flat,  and  upon  the  Sea- 
coafl  fandy;  but  the  middle  Ground  is  good 


I.  John 
Fernando. 


I,  Mocha. 


180 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Its  Sheep 
[i.  e.,  the 
Llama]. 


Mould,  and  produces  Maiz  and  other  Wheat, 
Barly,  with  variety  of  Fruits,  &c.  Here  were 
feveral  Houfes  belonging  to  the  Spanifh  IndianSy 
which  were  very  well  ftored  with  Dunghil-Fowl. 
They  have  here  alfo  feveral  Horfes : But  that 
which  is  moft  worthy  of  Note,  is  a fort 
of  Sheep  they  have,  which  the  Inhabitants  call 
Cornera  de  Terra,  This  Creature  is  about  four 
Foot  and  an  half  high  at  the  Back,  and  a very 
ftately  Beaft.  Thefe  Sheep  [199]  are  fo  Tame, 
that  we  frequently  ufed  to  bridle  one  of  them, 
upon  whofe  Back  two  of  the  luftiest  Men  would 
ride  at  once  round  the  Ifland,  to  drive  the  reft 
to  the  Fold.  His  ordinary  Pace  is  either  an 
Amble  or  a good  Hand-gallop ; nor  does  he  care 
for  going  any  other  Pace,  during  the  time  his 
Rider  is  upon  his  Back.  His  Mouth  is  like  that 
of  a Hare ; and  the  Hair-lip  above  opens  as  well 
as  the  Main-lips,  when  he  bites  the  Grafs,  which 
he  does  very  near.  His  Head  is  much  like  an 
Antelope y but  they  had  no  Horns  when  we  were 
there;  yet  we  found  very  large  Horns,  much 
twifted,  in  the  form  of  a Snail-fhell,  which  we 
fuppos’d  they  had  fhed:  They  lay  many  of  them 
fcattering  upon  the  Sandy-bays.  His  Ears 
refemble  thofe  of  an  Afs,  his  Neck  fmall,  and 
refembling  a Cammels.  He  carries  his  Head 
bending,  and  very  ftately,  like  a Swan ; is  full- 
chefted  like  a Horfe,  and  has  his  Loyns  much 
like  a well-fhap’d  Grey-hound.  His  Buttocks 
refemble  thofe  of  a full-grown  Deer,  and  he  has 
much  fuch  a Tail.  He  is  Cloven-footed  like  a 
Sheep,  but  on  the  iniide  [200]  of  each  Foot  has 
a large  Claw,  bigger  than  ones  Finger,  but  fharp 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


181 


and  refembling  thofe  of  an  Eagle,  Thefe  Claws 
ftand  about  two  Inches  above  the  Divifion  of 
the  Hoof;  and  they  ferve  him  in  climbing 
Rocks,  holding  faft  by  whatever  they  bear 
againft.  His  Flefh  eats  as  like  Mutton  as  can 
be:  He  bears  Wool  of  12  or  14  Inches  long 
■upon  the  Belly;  but  ’tis  fhorter  on  the  Back, 
fhaggy,  and  but  inclining  to  a Curl.  ’Tis  an 
innocent  and  very  ferviceable  Beaft,  fit  for  any 
Drudgery.  Of  thefe  we  killed  forty  three ; out 
of  the  Maw  of  one  of  which  I took  thirteen 
Bezoar-HoriQSy  of  which  fome  were  ragged,  and 
of  feveral  Forms ; fome  long,  refembling  Coral ; 
fome  round,  and  fome  oval ; but  all  Green  when 
taken  out  of  the  Maw:  Yet  by  long  keeping 
they  turn’d  of  an  Afh-colour ; and  I have  fome  of 
them  now  by  me. 

The  Spaniards  told  us,  That  thefe  Creatures 
are  extraordinarily  ferviceable  to  them  at  the 
Mines  of  Potoji,  (which  lie  a great  way  up  in  the 
Country)  in  bringing  the  Silver  from  thence  to 
the  Cities  that  lie  toward  [201]  the  Sea;  between 
which  Cities  and  the  Mines  are  fuch  cragged 
Ways  and  dangerous  Precipices,  that  it  were 
almoft  impoffible  for  any  Man,  or  any  other 
Beaft  to  carry  it.  But  thefe  Sheep  being  laden, 
and  led  to  the  Precipices,  their  Mafter  leaves 
them  there  to  themfelves  for  above  fixteen 
Leagues ; and  never  meets  them,  till  he  him f elf 
has  alfo  fetch’d  a Compafs  about  57  Leagues 
round.  This  their  furenefs  of  Foot  confifts 
folely  in  their  aforefaid  Claws,  by  which  they 
hold  themfelves  fo  faft  upon  the  leaft  Footing, 
that  they  can  go  where  no  other  Beaft  can. 


182 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


The  Spaniards  alfo  inform’d  us,  That  at  a City 
they  named,  which  has  no  Water  within  a League 
of  it,  thefe  Beaffcs,  being  bred  up  to  it,  were  wont 
to  be  laden  with  two  Jars,  like  Panniers,  upon 
their  Backs,  and  away  they  would  go,  without 
Guide  or  Driver;  and  when  they  came  to  the 
River,  would  lie  down,  and  rowle  themfelves 
in  the  Water  until  both  the  Jars  were  full;  and 
then,  of  their  own  accord,  would  return  home 
with  their  Water.  The  Spaniards  added.  That 
this  Creature  will  not  nor  can  be  forc’d  [202]  to 
work  after  Day-light : And  we  found  them 
obflinate  enough ; for  when  once  lain  down,  no 
Beating  fhould  make  them  rife ; but  they  would 
lie  and  make  a whining  or  groaning,  tho’  they 
were  not  tir’d,  being  but  newly  taken  up. 

We  went  from  Mocha  to  the  Continent,  and 
kept  failing  and  touching  along  the  Coaft  of 
Chili,  often  fending  our  Canoas  afhore,  till  we 

R.  of  came  to  Copayapo,  in  the  Lat.  of  about  26  S. 

Copayapo.  wanted  Water,  and  fo  put  afhore  to  fee  if 

we  could  find  the  River  that  bears  the  Name  of 
the  River  of  Copayapo,  As  foon  as  we  came 
afhore  we  afcended  a Hill,  in  hopes  to  defcry 
that  River  from  the  top  thereof ; but  contrary 
to  our  Expedtation,  when  we  came  to  the  top, 
we  had  yet  another  fteep  and  very  high  Hill  to 
climb,  and  another  after  that;  infomuch  that 
before  we  reach’d  the  utmoffc  heighth,  I fainted 
for  want  of  Water:  But  refrefhing  my  felf  with 
that  of  my  own,  I at  laft  came  to  the  top  of  the 
third  Mountain,  where  we  fat  down  and  refted 
our  f elves  under  the  Shade  of  a vaft  craggy  Rock. 
The  Place  where  we  fat  was  cover’d  with  Sand 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


183 


and  Sea-fhells  of  [203]  divers  Shapes  and  Forms; 
tho’  indeed,  which  I wonder’d  at,  there  were  no 
Shell-fifh  on  the  Shores  all  along  this  whole 
Coaft.  I have  landed  at  many  Places  of  it,  but 
could  never  find  any.  When  we  had  refted  our 
Selves  in  this  Place,  which  was,  as  near  as  we 
could  compute,  8 Miles  from  the  Sea,  and  at 
leaft  a Mile  in  perpendicular  above  it,  we  looked 
round  us,  to  fee  for  the  River ; but  to  our  great 
Grief  could  dif cover  none.  All  this  Land,  as 
well  high  as  low  Ground,  is  cover’d  with  Sand 
and  Sea-fhells,  many  of  which  are  of  the  fhape 
of  a Scallop- f hell ; and  thefe  in  vaffc  quantities, 
in  fome  Places,  efpecially  at  the  Feet  of  the 
Rocks,  from  whence  they  are  crumbled  and 
driven  down  by  the  Winds : For  in  the  very  Mafs 
of  the  Stones  of  Rocks  there  were,  as  I remem- 
ber, of  the  very  fame  forts  of  Shells.  We  were 
told  by  the  Spaniards,  That  at  one  time  of  the 
Year,  the  Sun  melting  the  Snow  that  lies  upon 
the  top  of  the  Mountains  that  are  a great  way 
up  in  the  Country,  makes  the  River  that  we 
looked  for  overflow.  It  may  as  well  poffibly  be 
from  Rains  falling  on  [204]  thefe  Mountains  far 
within  Land;  for  I never  knew  it  Rain  on  all 
the  Sea- Coaft  of  Chili  and  Peru ; but  we  could 
fee  Clouds  hovering  over  the  Tops  of  the  Moun- 
tains within  Land,  as  we  fail’d  along  the  Coaft: 
And  once  at  Arica  we  could  not  fee  the  Moun- 
tains peeked  Top  for  Clouds  that  hung  about  it ; 
tho’  at  another  time  we  faw  it  plain  enough; 
the  Rains  then  probably,  being  gone  off  from 
the  Hill-Cpuntry : But  as  for  Arica  it  felf  and 
its  Neighbouring  Sea-Coaft,  we  were  told  by  old 


Sea-fhells  on 
the  tops  of 
Hills:  No 
Shell-fifh  on 
the  Coaft. 


No  Rain  on 
the  Coaft. 


184 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Barren 

Land. 


Arica, 


the  Port  for 
the  Mines  of 
Potofi. 


Spaniards^  Inhabitants  there,  that  they  never 
had  any  Rain.  I have  alfo  been  at  one  time  of 
the  Year  afhore  at  the  River  of  Ylo,  but  could 
find  little  or  no  Water:  Yet  at  another  time  of 
the  Year  there  was  Water  enough,  although  I 
never  knew  of  any  Rain  on  that  Coafl,  and  the 
Spaniards  told  us  it  never  rain’d  there,  unlefs  far 
within  Land:  Yet  they  have  very  great  Dews. 
At  Copay apo  the  Coaft  is  barren  and  defolate,  and 
fo  on  each  fide  all  along  both  Chili  and  Peru ; 
nothing  is  to  be  feen  but  bare  Sands,  and  naked 
Rocks,  unlefs  in  a Valley  now  and  then:  No 
Trees,  [205]  Herbs,  or  other  green  Thing.  Nor 
did  we  fee  any  fort  of  Fowl,  nor  Beaft,  or  other 
living  Creature:  No  People,  nor  Sign  of  any; 
unlefs  here  and  there  a poor  Town  or  Village, 
at  as  forry  a Port,  with  fcarce  Water  enough, 
at  moft  of  them,  to  admit  a Cock-boat,  unlefs 
at  a Flood:  Fife,  little  or  no  Water,  nor  any 
Thing  for  Accommodation  or  Ufe. 

Getting  no  Water  at  Copay  apo  ^ we  were  forc’d 
to  put  to  Sea  again,  and  flood  along  the  Coafl 
to  Arica,  which  is  a Town  of  Peru,  handfomely 
feated  in  the  bending  of  that  Coafl,  in  the  Lat. 
of  between  18  and  19  S.  Hither  the  Silver  of 
Potofi  is  brought  down  to  be  fhipt  off  for  Pana- 
ma, for  the  Harbour  is  tolerably  good,  having  a 
Road  made  with  a little  Ifland  lying  before  it, 
breaking  the  Swell  of  the  Sea,  which  is  here 
very  great  and  continually  rowling  in  upon  the 
Shore ; though  fmooth  as  the  Surface  of  a River, 
here  being  little  or  no  Wind  to  curl  the  Waves. 
It  dafhes  fo  violent  againfl  the  Shore,  which  is 
all  along  a high  bold  Coaft,  tho’  nothing  fo  high 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


185 


as  the  Mountains  far  within  Land,  that  there  is  The  Andes. 

fcarce  any  Land-[2o6]ing  hereabouts  but  juft  at 

Arica  it  felf.  There  is  a little  River  which 

Arica  ftands  upon,  and  we  would  have  taken  in 

Water  there;  but  there  was  no  getting  at  any 

frefh,  for  its  Outlet  was  among  little  craggy 

Rocks,  and  the  Sea- water  dafh’d  in  among  it. 

We  landed  here,  and  ranfack’d  the  Place,  meet- 
ing with  little  or  no  Rehftance ; we  got  a few 
Hogs  and  Poultry,  Sugar  and  Wine;  and  faw  a 
whole  Houfe  full  of  Jefuits  Bark,*  as  I have 
faid  already,  p.  99.  I was  here  alfo  formerly 
with  Capt.  Sharps  when  we  had  fo  fmart  an 
Engagement  that  we  loft  a great  number  of  our 
Men;  and  every  one  of  our  Surgeons  was  kill’d 
befide  my  Self,  who  was  then  left  to  guard  the 
Canoas. 

We  went  hence  a little  further  to  Lee- ward, 
and  water’d  at  the  River  F/t>,  where  we  got  Oil-  R.  Ylo. 
Olive,  Figs,  and  Sugar,  with  feveral  Fruits; 
all  which  grow  there  very  plentiful.  There  is 
an  Oil- work,  and  two  or  three  Sugar- works. 

There  are  extraordinary  good  Oranges,  of  the 
China  fort.  ’Tis  the  fineft  Valley  I have  feen  a fine 
on  all  the  Coaft  of  Peru\  very  fertile  and  well  Valley, 
furnifh’d  with  [207]  a multitude  of  Vegetables; 

Tho’  it  has  no  Moifture  but  that  of  the  little 
River,  (which  they  carry  winding  up  and  down 
among  their  Grounds  in  Artificial  Channels)  and 
the  great  Dew  which  falls  every  Night.  The 
Valley  is  the  pleafanter,  and  fo  are  all  thofe  of 
Peru  and  Chili,  for  the  difmal  barren  Mountains 

* Chinchona,  ’ or  Peruvian  bark,  from  which  ‘ ‘ quinine  ’ ’ is 
derived. 


186 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Courfe  Diet. 


Vermejo. 


Dead  Bodies 
in  great 
Numbers. 


that  lie  all  about,  and  ferve  as  Foil  to  them: 
They  are  moftly  fandy  or  black  Rocks,  like 
Cinders  or  Iron-Stones,  for  Colour. 

In  failing  along  upon  this  Coaft  we  were 
fometimes  put  to  it  for  Food  as  well  as  Water; 
and  once  were  fo  Hunger-pinch ’d,  that  meeting 
with  fome  Sea- Crabs  on  the  Coaft,  one  of  our 
Men,  Mr.  Smallbonesj  eat  them  raw,  and  even 
Sea- weeds:  But  others  of  us,  whole  Stomachs 
would  not  ferve  for  that  Food,  looking  about, 
found  a lean  gall’d  Horfe  grafing  in  a little  Spot 
at  the  foot  of  the  Hill;  which  we  prefently 
kill’d,  cut  in  pieces,  and  making  a Fire  with 
Sea-weeds,  eat  the  Flefh  while  ’twas  hardly 
warm,  leaving  none,  but  carrying  the  very  Guts 
aboard. 

[208]  I fhall  not  purfue  all  my  Coafting  along 
this  Shore  with  Captain  Davis  \ but  two  Particu- 
lars more  I muft  not  omit : The  one  is,  That  we 
put  afhore  at  Vermejo ^ in  10  Deg.  S.  Lat.  There 
we  landed  about  30  Men  (of  whom  I was  one)  to 
fee  for  Water,  or  any  other  Refrefhment  that 
we  wanted.  After  we  were  landed,  we  marched 
about  four  Miles  up  a Sandy  Bay ; all  which  we 
found  covered  with  the  Bodies  of  Men,  Women 
and  Children;  which  lay  fo  thick,  that  a Man 
might,  if  he  would,  have  walked  half  a Mile,  and 
never  trod  a Step  off  a dead  human  Body.  Thefe 
Bodies,  to  appearance,  feem’d  as  if  they  had 
not  been  above  a Week  ' dead;  but  if  you 
handled  them,  they  prov’d  as  dry  and  light  as 
a Spunge  or  piece  of  Cork.  After  we  had  been 
fome  time  afhore,  we  efpyed  a Smoak;  and 
making  up  to  it,  found  an  old  Man,  a Spanifh 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


187 


Indian,  who  was  ranging  along  the  Sea-iide,  to 
find  fome  dried  Sea- weeds,  to  drefs  fome  Fifh 
which  his  Company  had  caught;  for  he  belong’d 
to  a Fifhing-boat  hard  by.  We  asked  him  many 
Quellions,  in  Spanifh,  about  the  Place,  and  how 
[209]  thofe  dead  Bodies  came  there?  To  which 
he  returned  for  Anfwer,  That  in  his  Fathers 
time  the  Soil  there,  which  now  yielded  nothing, 
was  green,  well- cultivated  and  fruitful : That  the 
City  of  Wormia  had  been  well  inhabited  with 
Indians : And  that  they  were  fo  numerous,  that 
they  could  have  handed  a Fifh,  from  Hand  to 
Hand,  20  Leagues  from  the  Sea,  until  it  had 
come  to  the  Kings  or  Ynca^  Hand:  That  the 
River  was  very  deep,  and  the  Current  ftrong : 
And  that  the  reafon  of  thofe  dead  Bodies  was. 
That  when  the  Spaniards  came,  and  block’d  up 
and  lay’d  Siege  to  the  City,  the  Indians,  rather 
than  lie  at  the  Spaniards  Mercy,  dug  Holes  in 
the  Sand,  and  buried  themfelves  alive.  The 
Men  as  they  now  lie,  have  with  them  their 
broken  Bows;  and  the  Women  their  Spinning- 
wheels,  and  Diflaffs  with  Cotton-yarn  upon 
them.  Of  thefe  dead  Bodies  I brought  on  board 
a Boy  of  about  9 or  10  Years  of  Age,  with  an 
intent  to  bring  him  home  for  England : But  was 
fruftrated  of  my  purpofe  by  the  Sailors ; who 
having  a foolifh  Conceit,  that  the  Compafs 
would  not  [210]  traverfe  aright,  fo  long  as  any 
dead  Body  was  on  board,  threw  him  overboard, 
to  my  great  Vexation. 

This  Place  is  a deep  fandy  Ground,  of  little 
Hills  and  Valleys  of  Sand.  ’Tis  like  the  reft 
of  this  part  of  Peru,  without  Rain : But  it  has 


188 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Santa. 


Ships  caft 
far  afhore 
by  an  Earth 
quake. 


Dews,  and  there  was  the  Channel  of  a fmall 
River;  yet  ’twas  dry  when  we  were  there. 

The  other  Particular  I would  fpeak  of,  is  of 
our  touching  at  a Place  called  Santa,  a fmall 
Town  in  the  Lat.  of  8 Deg.  40  Min.  S.  Here  I 
went  afhore  and  fo  up  to  the  Town,  which  was 
three  Miles  or  thereabouts  from  the  Sea.  In  our 
way  to  the  Town  we  crofs’d  a fmall  Hill;  and 
in  a Valley  between  the  Hill  and  the  Town  we 
faw  three  fmall  Ships  of  about  60  or  100  Tuns 
apiece,  lodg’d  there,  and  very  ruinous.  It 
caufed  in  us  great  Admiration,  and  we  were 
puzzled  to  think  how  thofe  Ships  could  come 
there:  But  proceeding  toward  the  Town,  we 
faw  an  Indian,  whom  we  called,  and  he  at  the 
firft  Motion  came  to  us.  We  ask’d  him  feveral 
Queftions,  and  among  the  reft,  how  thofe  Ships 
came  there?  He  told  [211]  us.  That  about  9 
Years  before,  thefe  3 Ships  were  riding  at 
Anchor  in  the  Bay,  which  is  an  open  Place, 
about  5 or  6 Leagues  from  Point  to  Point;  and 
that  an^Earthquake  came,  and  carried  the  Water 
out  of  light;  which  flayed  away  24  Hours,  and 
then  came  in  again,  tumbling  and  rowling  with 
fuch  ^Violence,  that  it  carried  thefe  Ships  over 
the’' Town,  which  then  flood  on  the  Hill  which 
we  came  over,  and  lodged  them  there ; and  that 
it  deflroyed  the  Country  for  a confiderable 
way  along  the  Coafl.  This  Report,  when  we 
came  to  the  Town,  was  confirmed  to  us  by  the 
Parifh-Priefl,  and  many  other  Inhabitants  of  the 
Town. 

We  continued  thus  Rambling  about  to  little 
purpofe,  fometimes  at  Sea,  and  fometimes 


WAFER^S  DARIEN 


189 


afhore ; till  having  fpent  much  time,  and  vifited 
many  Places,  we  were  got  again  to  the  Galla-  l.  Galla- 
page's,  under  the  Line;  and  were  then  refolv’d 
to  make  the  beft  of  our  Way  out  of  thefe  Seas. 

Accordingly  we  went  thence  again  for  the 
Southward,  intending  to  touch  no  where  till  we 
came  to  the  Ifland  of  John  Fernando.  In  our  way 
[212]  thither,  about  four  a Clock  in  the  Morning, 
when  we  were  in  the  Lat.  of  12  Deg.  30  Min. 

S.  and  about  150  Leagues  from  the  Main  of 
America,  our  Ship  and  Bark  felt  a terrible  Earthquake 
Shock ; which  put  our  Men  into  fuch  a Confberna- 
tion,  that  they  could  hardly  tell  where  they 
were,  or  what  to  think;  but  every  one  began  to 
prepare  for  Death.  And  indeed  the  Shock  was 
fo  fudden  and  violent,  that  we  took  it  for  granted 
the  Ship  had  ftruck  upon  a Rock : But  when  the 
Amazement  was  a little  over,  we  caft  the  Lead, 
and  founded,  but  found  no  Ground;  fo  that 
after  Confultation,  we  concluded  it  muft  cer- 
tainly be  fome  Earthquake.  The  fuddennefs 
of  this  Shock  made  the  Guns  of  the  Ship  leap  in 
their  Carriages,  and  feveral  of  the  Men  were 
fhaken  out  of  their  Hammocks.  Captain  Davis, 
who  lay  with  his  Head  over  a Gun,  was  thrown 
out  of  his  Cabbin.  The  Sea,  which  ordinarily 
looks  Green,  feemed  then  of  a Whitifh  Colour; 
and  the  Water  which  we  took  up  in  our  Buckets 
for  the  Ships  ufe,  we  found  to  be  a little  mixed 
with  Sand.  This  at  firft  made  us  think  there 
was  [2 1 3]  fome  Spit  of  Sand ; but  when  we  had 
founded,  it  confirmed  our  Opinion  of  the  Earth- 
quake. Some  time  after  we  heard  News,  That 
at  that  very  time  there  was  an  Earthquake  at 


190 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Earthquake 
at  Callao  by 
Lima. 


New  Land 
dif  cover'd. 


[St.  Felix 
and  St. 
Ambrose 
Islands.] 


Callao.,  which  is  the  Road  for  Lima ; and  that  the 
Sea  ebbed  fo  far  from  the  Shore,  that  on  a fud- 
den  there  was  no  Water  to  be  feen : And  that 
after  it  had  been  away  a confiderable  time,  it 
return’d  in  rowling  Mountains  of  Water,  which 
carried  the  Ships  in  the  Road  of  Callao  a League 
up  into  the  Country,  overflowed  the  City  of 
Callao,  though  it  flood  upon  a Hill,  together 
with  the  Fort,  and  drowned  Man  and  Beafl  for 
50  Leagues  along  Shore;  doing  Mifchief  even 
at  Lima,  though  fix  Miles  within  Land  from  the 
Town  of  Callao.  This  feems  to  have  been  much 
fuch  another  Earthquake  as  that,  the  Efledls  of 
which  we  faw  at  Santa. 

Having  recover’d  our  Fright,  we  kept  on  to 
the  Southward.  We  fleer’d  South  and  by  Eafl, 
half  Eaflerly,  until  we  came  to  the  Latitude  of 
27  Deg.  20  Min.  S.  when  about  two  Hours 
before  Day,  we  fell  in  with  a fmall,  low,  fandy 
Ifland,  and  [214]  heard  a great  roaring  Noife, 
like  that  of  the  Sea  beating  upon  the  Shore, 
right  a Head  of  the  Ship.  Whereupon  the  Sail- 
ors, fearing  to  fall  foul  upon  the  Shore  before 
Day,  defired  the  Captain  to  put  the  Ship  about, 
and  to  fland  off  till  Day  appeared ; to  which  the 
Captain  gave  his  content.  So  we  plied  off  till 
Day,  and  then  flood  in  again  with  the  Land; 
which  proved  to  be  a fmall  flat  Ifland,  without 
the  guard  of  any  Rocks.  We  flood  in  within  a 
quarter  of  a Mile  of  the  Shore,  and  could  fee  it 
plainly;  for  ’twas  a clear  Morning,  not  foggy 
nor  hazy.  To  the  Weft  ward,  about  12  Leagues 
by  Judgment,  we  faw  a range  of  high  Land, 
which  we  took  to  be  Iflands,  for  there  were 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


191 


feveral  Partitions  in  the  Profpedl.  This  Land 
feem’d  to  reach  about  14  or  16  Leagues  in  a 
Range,  and  there  came  thence  great  Flocks  of 
Fowls.  I,  and  many  more  of  our  Men  would 
have  made  this  Land,  and  have  gone  afhore  at 
it ; but  the  Captain  would  not  permit  us.  The 
fmall  Ifland  bears  from  Copayapo  almoffc  due  E. 

500  Leagues;  and  from  the  Gallapago' s,  under 
the  Line,  600  Leagues. 

[215]  When  we  were  again  arriv’d  at  John  1.  Mocha 
Fernando  s,  which  was  at  the  latter  End  of  the  l^idwafte; 
Year,  1687.  we  clean’d  our  Ship  there,  having 
quitted  our  Bark,  and  flood  over  to  the  Main ; 
intending  to  get  fome  of  the  Sheep  of  Mocha,  for 
our  Voyage  round  Terra  del  Fuego.  But  when 
we  came  there,  the  Spaniards  had  wholly  de- 
flroyed  or  carried  away  the  Sheep,  Horfes,  and 
all  other  living  Creatures.  We  went  then  to 
Santa  Maria,  an  Ifland  in  37  Deg.  S.  in  expedla-  I.  Santa 
tion  of  frefh  Proviflon ; but  this  Ifland  was  like- 
wife  deftroy’d:  So  we  were  forc’d  to  content 
our  felves  with  fuch  Proviflon  as  we  had  brought 
from  the  Gallapago' s ; which  were  chiefly  Flower, 

Maiz,  Hecatee  or  Land-Tortoife  falted,  and  the 
Fat  of  it  tried,  or  made  into  Lard  or  Oil,  of 
which  we  got  there  60  Jars.*  The  Spaniards 


* Dampier,  p.  109,  says  that,  while  he  was  at  the  Gallapagos, 
in  1684,  they  “ sent  ashoar  the  Cook  every  morning,  who  killed 
as  many  as  served  for  the  day  ....  feeding  sometimes 
on  Land-Turtle,  sometimes  on  Sea-Turtle.  Captain  Davis 
came  hither  again  a second  time ; and  ....  he  and  his 
Men  eat  nothing  else  for  3 Months  that  he  staid  there.  They 
were  so  fat,  that  he  saved  sixty  Jars  of  Oyl  out  of  those  that 
he  spent:  This  Oil  served  instead  of  Butter,  to  eat  with 
Dough-boys  or  Dumplins,  in  his  return  out  of  these  Seas.  ’ ’ 


192 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


and  John 
Fernando' s. 


Some  ftay 
afhore  at 
John  Fer- 
nando's. 


Terra  del 
Fuego. 

A Storm. 
C.  Horti. 


had  fet  Dogs  afhore  at  John  Fernando' s alfo,  to 
deffcroy  the  Goats  there,  that  we  might  fail  of 
Provilion:  But  we  were  content  with  killing 
there  no  more  than  we  eat  prefently ; not  doubt- 
ing but  we  fhould  have  found  Sheep  enough  at 
Mocha,  to  vidtual  the  Ship. 

[216]  Three  or  Four  of  our  Men,  having  loft 
what  Mony  they  had  at  Play,  and  being  unwill- 
ing to  return  out  of  thefe  Seas  as  poor  as  they 
came,  would  needs  ftay  behind  at  John  Fernando' s, 
in  expec5tation  of  fome  other  Privateers  coming 
thither.  We  gave  them  a fmall  Canoa,  a Por- 
ridge-pot, Axes,  Macheats,  Maiz,  and  other 
Neceffaries.  I heard  fince  that  they  planted 
fome  of  the  Maiz,  and  tam’d  fome  of  the  Goats, 
and  liv’d  on  Fifh  and  Fowls;  of  which  there  is 
one  fort  Grey,  and  about  the  fize  of  a fmall 
Pullet,  that  makes  Burrows  in  the  Ground  like 
a Rabbit;  lodging  there  in  the  Night,  and 
going  out  to  catch  Fifh  in  the  day:  For  ’tis  a 
Water- Fowl,  and  eats  a little  fifhy,  yet  pretty 
well  tailed  after  a little  burying.  I heard  alfo 
that  thefe  Men  were  taken  by  a Privateer-Veffel 
which  came  thither  a Year  or  two  after;  and 
that  one  of  them  is  fince  come  to  England. 

We  were  now  ftanding  out  to  Sea  again,  to 
double  Terra  del  Fuego : We  were  in  a terrible 
Storm  for  about  three  Weeks  before  we  came 
off  Cape  Horn  .-We  did  not  fee  Cape  Horn,  [217] 
being  a great  way  to  the  South  of  it,  and  in  the 
Lat.  of  62  Deg.  45  Min.  S.  nor  did  we  well 
know  what  Courfe  to  fleer,  having  but  very 
indifferent  Seamen  aboard.  It  was  now  about 
the  heighth  of  Summer  here ; for  I remember 


WAFER^S  DARIEN 


193 


that  upon  Chrijimas  day,  1687.  we  were  jui?t 
clear  of  the  Storm,  and  in  the  Latitude  we  men- 
tion’d, off  Cape  Horn,  Running  hence  to  the 
Northward  again,  being  now  got  out  of  the 
South  Sea,  we  met  feveral  Iflands  of  Ice ; which  iflands  of 
at  firft  feemed  to  be  real  Land.  Some  of  them 
feemed  a League  or  two  in  length,  and  fome 
not  above  half  a Mile.  The  biggeffc  feemed,  as 
we  fail’d  by  them,  which  we  did  before  the 
Wind  for  feveral  Days,  to  be  about  4 or  500  Foot 
high.  We  founded  near  them,  but  found  no 
Ground ; fo  that  it  may  reafonably  be  concluded 
they  were  afloat;  and  perhaps  reach’d  as  deep 
into  the  Water,  as  their  heighth  was  above  it. 

We  faw  no  fuch  Iflands  of  Ice  as  I went  into  the 
South  Sea  with  Mr.  Dampier\  neither  did  I ever 
hear  that  Captain  Sharp  met  with  any  in  his 
return  out  of  that  Sea.  Thefe  Iflands  [218] 
appear’d  to  us  fo  plain  at  Night,  that  we  could 
eaflly  fee  how  to  fteer  clear  of  them : But  there 
were  fome  which  lay  under  Water,  which  we 
could  not  pofflbly  fhun,  but  fometimes  they 
would  fhake  our  Ship:  Yet  they  never  did  us 
much  Dammage.  From  thefe  Hills  of  Ice  came 
very  cold  Blafts  of  Wind;  infomuch  that  our 
Men,  newly  coming  out  of  a hot  Country,  could 
hardly  endure  the  Deck. 

In  all  our  Paffage  round  Terra  del  Fuego  the 
Weather  was  fo  flormy,  for  3 Weeks  that  we  lay 
to  the  Southward  of  Cape  Horn^  and  the  Sun  and 
Stars  fo  obf cur’d,  that  we  could  take  no  Obferva- 
tion  of  our  Lat.  yet,  by  our  Reckoning,  we  were 
in  very  near  63  Deg.  S.  Lat.  which  is  the  farth- 
eft  to  the  South  that  any  European^  probably, 


194 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Mifreckon- 
ing  the 
Variation.* 


A feafon- 
able  Rain. 


ever  yet  was,  and  perhaps  any  Man.  When  we 
were  in  Lat.  62.  Deg.  30  Min.  we  began  to  think 
of  fhifting  onr  Courfe  to  the  Northward  again, 
toward  the  ^thiopick  and  A tlantick  Seas ; and  we 
foon  brought  our  f elves  to  ftand  E.  N.  E.  and 
E.  and  by  N.  and  kept  much  thofe  Courfes  for 
a great  way.  In  our  Paf-[2  i9]fage  we  had 
allow’d  for  three  Points  Wefterly  Variation: 
But  when  we  came  to  have  a good  Obfervation, 
we  found  that  we  had  gone  to  the  Eaflward, 
making  our  way  E.  and  by  S.  We  found  there- 
fore that  we  had  miftaken  the  Variation  of  the 
Compafs,  fo  that  we  concluded  the  Variation  to 
be  Eafterly,  and  fleer’d  away  N.  N.  E.  and  N. 
E.  and  by  N. 

By  this  means,  when  we  came  into  the  Lati- 
tude of  the  River  of  Plate,  along  which  we 
intended  to  run,  we  reckon’d  our  f elves  to  be 
about  100  Leagues  off  Land;  and  flood  in 
diredlly  for  the  Shore,  not  doubting  but  we 
fhould  find  it  at  that  diflance.  But  we  were 
then  really  500  Leagues  off;  and  having  run 
fome  hundreds  of  Leagues  to  the  Well  in  the 
fame  Latitude,  and  yet  finding  no  Land,  our 
Men  were  out  of  Heart,  fearing  we  were  flill  in 
a wrong  Courfe,  and  being  all  in  danger  of 
perifhing  at  Sea,  through  want  of  Provifions; 
having  little  Food,  and  lefs  Water.  It  pleas’d 
God,  during  this  Exigence,  to  fend  us  a Days 
Rain,  which  fell  very  plentiful ; and  we  fav’d 
of  it  feveral  Casks  of  Water,  [220]  which  was  a 
great  Refrefhment  to  us,  and  made  our  Men 
pluck  up  their  Hearts  for  fome  time.  But  hav- 


* Cape  Horn  current  sets  strongly  eastward. 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


195 


ing  run  450  Leagues  in  this  Latitude,  and  ftill 
finding  no  Land,  which  they  had  expedled  to 
have  feen  in  100,  this  bred  a frefh  Commotion, 
and  we  had  like  to  have  been  all  together  by  the 
Ears  upon  it.  The  greateft  part  were  for 
changing  the  Courfe,  which  they  thought  muft 
needs  be  wrong:  But  Captain  Davis ^ and  Mr. 
Knott  the  Mafter,  begg’d  of  them  for  God’s  fake 
to  keep  the  fame  Courfe  two  Days  longer, 
which  they  did,  though  we  had  but  a fmall 
Wind : And  in  that  time  a Flight  of  Locuffcs  and 
other  Infedts  coming  off  with  a Flurry  of  Wind 
from  the  Weft,  affur’d  us  there  was  Land  there, 
not  far  off.  Had  not  this  providentially  hapned, 
we  fhould  have  chang’d  our  Courfe,  for  the 
Men  would  not  have  been  perfuaded  to  the  con- 
trary ; for  a great  many  of  them  were  fo  ignor- 
ant, that  they  would  not  be  perfuaded  but  they 
were  ftill  in  the  South  Sea:  And  had  we  chang’d 
this  Courfe,  we  fhould  have  flood  out  to  Sea 
again,  and  muft  have  perifh’d  there. 

[221]  The  Land  we  made,  following  the 
diredlion  of  the  Flurry  and  the  Locufts,  and 
fetting  the  Point  they  come  from  by  the  Com- 
pafs,  was  a little  to  the  North  of  the  Mouth  of 
the  River  of  Plate.  We  put  afhore  here  to  get 
Water  and  frefh  Provifions,  of  which  this  Coun- 
try afforded  plenty : And  here  our  Men  having 
with  them  their  Fufees,  fpy’d  a Herd  of  Sea- 
Swine,  as  we  call  them,  upon  a Point  a Land ; 
and  were  thereupon  refolved  to  kill  fome  of 
them  to  bring  on  board.  In  order  thereunto 
they  contrived,  that  fome  Men  fhould  flop  the 
Pafs  that  led  up  to  the  Mountain,  whilfl  others 


Deliverance 
from  a 
Danger  of 
perifhing  at 
Sea. 


Coaft  by  the 
R.  of  Plate. 


Sea-Swine. 


196 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Ejiridges. 


went  in  among  them,  and  with  their  Cutlaffes 
did  what  Execution  they  could.  But  ftill  as  the 
Men  came  near  them,  the  Herd  walked  toward 
the  Sea,  contrary  to  our  Mens  expecitation ; for 
they  hitherto  took  them  to  be  Land-Swine. 
There  they  flood  on  the  Shore,  flaring  at  and 
admiring  our  People : But  when  the  Men  came 
near  enough,  and  were  jufl  going  to  flrike 
among  them,  the  whole  Herd  jump’d  into  the 
Sea,  leaving  the  Men  in  amazement,  and  forely 
vex’d  at  [222]  their  Dif appointment.  But  at 
another  time  they  fhot  and  brought  on  Board 
two  of  them,  which  eat  like  Land-pork,  except 
fome  Fifhy  tafle  it  had.  They  were  fhap’d 
much  like  Swine,  and  had  fhort  Hair  more 
briflly  than  that  of  Seals;  and  like  them  had 
finny  Stumps  to  fwim  with,  and  were  of  a 
Black  Colour.  The  Country  hereabouts  is 
well  watered,  but  without  any  Inhabitants. 
Here  is  notwithflanding  abundance  of  black 
Cattle,  of  which  for  feveral  Scores  of  Leagues 
we  obferved  many  Herds;  with  Deer  alfo,  and 
Eflridges. 

We  faw  a great  many  of  thefe  Eflridges,  and 
found  abundance  of  their  Eggs  on  the  Sand: 
For  there  fhe  drops  her  Eggs  upon  the  Ground, 
and  ’tis  faid  fhe  never  takes  any  farther  Care  of 
them;  but  that  they  are  hatched  by  the  Sun, 
and  the  young  one  fo  foon  as  hatched  follows 
the  firfl  Creature  it  meets  with.  I my  felf  had 
fometimes  a great  many  young  Eflridges  follow- 
ing me.  They  are  a foolifh  Bird;  they  will 
follow  Deer  or  any  Creature.  The  old  Birds 
are  here  very  large:  I meafur’d  the  Thigh  of 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


197 


one  of  them,  and  [223]  thought  it  little  lefs  than 
my  own.  We  have  had  fever al  of  them  on 
board,  and  fome  we  eat;  but  the  old  ones  were 
very  rank,  courfe  Food.  Some  fancy  that  the 
Eftridge  eats  Iron:  I believe  juft  as  truly  as 
Poultry  eat  Pebble-Stones,  not  as  Food  but 
for  Digeftion,  and  to  ferve  as  Mill-Stones, 
or  Grinders,  to  macerate  their  Food  in  the 
Maw.  The  Eftridge  will  indeed  fwallow 
Nails  or  Stones,  or  any  thing  you  throw  to  it; 
but  they  pafs  through  the  Body  as  whole  as  they 
went  in. 

Putting  off  to  Sea  agaiii,  we  Coafted  along 
Brajil^  and  thence  toward  the  Caribbe-\^2,XL^^\ 
where  meeting  with  one  Mr.  Edwin  Carter , in 
a Barbadoes  Sloop,  I and  fome  others  went 
aboard  him,  and  had  of  him  the  News  of  King 
James'^  Proclamation  to  pardon  and  call  in 
the  Buccaniers."^  So  we  went  in  his  Ship  to 
the  River  de  la  Ware,  and  up  into  Penjilvania^ 
to  the  City  of  Philadelphia  \ where  I arriv’d  in 
Mayy  1688. 

There  I ftayed  fome  time ; after  which  I came 
down  the  River  de  la  Ware  as  far  as  Apokunnumy- 
creek,  with  Capt.  Davis,  and  John  Hingfon  who 
[224]  was  left  with  me  on  the  IJlhmus : There 
we  carted  our  Chefts,  with  other  Goods,  over  a 
fmall  Neck  of  Land  into  Bohemia-RiYev,  which 
leads  down  the  great  Bay  of  Chifapeek  to  Point- 
Comfort  in  JamesFWxsrex  in  Virginia.  There  I 

* This  was  probably  either  the  royal  proclamation  against 
pirates  issued  January  20,  1688,  following  the  announcement 
of  the  cessation  of  hostilities  with  France,  or  perhaps  the  royal 
declaration  of  indulgence  and  proclamation  for  suppression  of 
piracy,  issued  May  22,  1687. 


Brafil. 


The  A. 
arrives  in 
Penfd- 
vania. 


and 

Virginia. 


198 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Conclufion.  thought  to  fettle : But  meeting  with  fome 
Troubles,  after  a three  Years  refidence  there,  I 
came  home  for  England  in  the  Year,  1690. 


FINIS 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


199 


[225]  Index, 

[Figures  refer  to  original  pagination,  in  bracket s.\ 

A. 

Adultery ,,  how puni/ked^  Pag.  163. 

Air  at  Portobel,  67. 

at  Panama,  76. 

Alligators^  112. 

Amapalla  Gulph,  189. 

Anguilla;  its  Land- Crabs y 112. 

Animals  of  the  104. 

AntSy  123. 

Arica,  205. 

KVa-IJley  143. 

Author  s firji  Voyage y i.  fecond  Voyage y 3.  firjl 
meets  Mr.  Dampier,  4.  Misfortune  in  pajfing  the 
Ifthmus,  5.  great  HardfhipSy  5,  to  24.  narrowly 
ef capes  Dr  owning,  18.  his  fear  of  the  IndidinSy  23. 
fets  out  for  the  North  Sea  a fecond  time,  25. 
bleeds  Lacenta’^  Lady,  29.  his  repute  among  the 
Indians,  30.  gets  leave  ^^/Lacenta  to  [226]  depart, 
33.  fets  out  a third  time  for  the  North  Seas,  35. 
arrives  at  the  Sea- fide,  37.  meets  with  the  Priva- 
teers, 41.  his  coajiing  about  the  Weft-Indies  with 
Mr.  Dampier,  43.  arrival  at  Virginia,  44.  goes 
a fecond  time  with  Mr.  Dampier  into  the  South 


200 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


SeUy  and  parts  with  him  there,  45.  Voyage  con- 
tinued, 189.  arrives  at  Penfilvania,  223.  and 
Virginia  again,  224. 

B. 

Bamboes,  27,  97. 

Bantam,  i. 

Barcaderoes,  or  Landing-places,  2. 

Baftimento’s  IJle,  4,  48,  61,  63. 

Bats,  12 1. 

Bees,  122. 

'Bezoax- /iones  in  Mocha  Sheep,  200. 

Bihhy-tree  and  Fruit,  23,  86.  and  Oil,  87. 

Birds  of  the  Iffchmus,  114,  119. 

Blood-letting,  28. 

Bocca-Drago,  68. 

Toro,  68. 

Bonano's,  Tree  and  Fruit,  88. 

Bowman  (William)  his  narrow  Efcape,  15. 

[227]  Brafil,  223. 

Buckenham  ( Capt.)  taken  Pr  if  oner,  8.  hard 
Ufage,  3. 

C. 

Calabafh-tree,  92. 

Canes,  63. 

Caret- Bay,  47,  52. 

Cartagena,  4. 

Caffava  Roots  and  Bread,  10 1. 

Cats',  much  efieeml d by  the  Indians,  109. 
Cavally-fifh,  125. 

Cedars,  84. 

Cha.%r&-River,  47,  51,  52,  73. 

Chains-,  ornamental,  146. 


WAFERS  DARIEN 


201 


Ch.Q2i^o- River y 21,  47,  72. 
Chepelio-^^,  77. 

Chicaly  Chicaly\  Birdy  114. 

Cinamoriy  97. 

Coco-IJley  191. 

Nut-TreCy  87,  192. 

Combs  us' d by  the  Indians,  132. 
Conception- River y 52,  58. 
Congo-Rivery  70,  77. 

Conjuring y 37. 

Cookery  y 175. 

Copayapo-i^^Wr,  202. 

Coqnimbo,  196. 

Cormorants  y 12 1. 

[228]  Corofou-Birdy  115. 

Cotton-tree y 26,  83. 

ConchSy  127. 

Crabs ; Landy  1 1 1 . 

Seay  128. 

CxOo-IJlandy  112. 

Craw-fifhy  128. 

CupSy  162. 

D. 

Dancing y 168. 

Dead  Bodies  found  in  abundance y 208. 
Deery  106. 

Dexterity  of  the  Indians,  159. 
Diadems  of  Goldy  &c.  145. 

Diety  207. 

Diver fiony  169. 

DogSy  106. 

Dog-fifh,  124. 

Drink,  153. 


202 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


E. 

Earthquake  felt  at  Sea,  212.  Shifs  ca^  far  on  Land 
by  them,  210,  213. 

Eating,  176. 

Education,  158. 

Eels,  127. 

Employments,  161,  167. 

EJiridges,  222. 

[229]  F. 


Feafls,  166. 

John  Fernando  IJle,  197,  217. 
Figs,  206. 

Fifh  of  the  124,  128. 

Fifhing,  129. 

Fly',  fhining,  122. 

Floods,  18,  81. 

Forts,  or  War-houfes,  150. 
Fowl  of  the  \Wsim\xs,  119. 
Fruits  of  the  Ifthmus,  83. 

G. 

Gainy  (George)  drowned,  10. 
Gallapago’s  194,  211. 
Gar-fifh,  126. 

Garachina,  47,  68,  76. 
Guatimala  Government,  76. 
Gopfon  (Richard)  dies,  42. 
Gold,  31. 

Golden  Ifland,  4,  53. 

Gold  River,  31,  69,  197. 
Gorgonia,  195. 

Gourds,  93. 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


203 


Guacha,  195. 
Guanoes,  113,  194. 
Guavra,  195. 
Sea-Gulls,  12 1. 


[230]  H. 

Habits  of  the  chief  Indians,  37,  141,  146.  of  the 
other  Men  and  Women,  138,  140,  &c. 

Hair,  132,  135. 

Hills,  34,  48,  50. 

Hogs,  104. 

Hony,  123. 

Horn,  Cape,  216. 

Horfes,  198. 

Houfes,  149. 

Hunting,  170. 

Husbandry,  152. 

I. 

Jamaica,  3. 

Jamby  Town,  i. 

Ice-Ijlands,  217. 

JefuitS’Bark,  99,  206. 

libor,  I. 

Indians  cure  the  Author,  8.  are  difpleas" d,  8.  con- 
fult  to  kill  the  Author  and  his  Company,  ii. 
afterwards  receive  them  kindly,  and  why,  24. 
Conjuring,  37.  their  Stature,  Features,  &c.  13 1. 
cutting  off  their  Hair  on  killing  an  Enemy,  133. 
white  Indians,  [231]  134.  painting  themf elves, 
138.  other  Ornaments  of  both  Sexes,  140,  143, 
&c.  Houfes,  149,  &c.  Plantations  and  Husbandry, 
152.  Womens  Employments,  157,  160.  Lying-in, 
158.  Education  of  Children,  158,  160,  &c. 


204 


WAFERS  DARIEN 


Mens  Employments^  i6i,  167,  170.  PunifhmentSy 
163.  Marriages  and  Feajis^  163,  166.  Recrea- 
tions, 167.  Hunting  and  Cookery,  170,  174. 
Travelling,  177.  Numbers  and  Calculation,  178, 
179,  &c.  Language  and  Pronuntiation,  186. 
Good  Qualities,  8,  9,  24,  141,  157,  162,  165,  169. 
Bad  166,  170. 

InfeTls,  109,  122. 

IJlands  on  each  fide  the  Ifthmus,  48,  54. 

Ifthmus  of  Darien ; its  breadth,  &c.  46.  Situation, 
47.  Hills,  &c.  48.  Rivers,  51.  North- Sea 
Coafi  defcriPd,  52,  &c.  South- Sea  Coafi,  68, 
&c.  Soil,  77.  Woods,  50,  78.  Air  and  Weather , 
79.  Floods,  18,  81.  Vegetables,  83.  Beafis  and 
Reptiles,  104.  Birds  and  Flying  InfeCts,  114. 
Inhabitants,  13 1. 

L. 

Lacenta  his  Civility,  12.  Palace,  26.  detains  the 
Author,  8cc.  27.  Ref  pelt  [232]  to  the  Author, 
32,  34.  gives  him  leave  to  depart,  33.  his  Wives, 
162. 

Land,  barren,  204. 

Floods,  18,  81. 

new  difcoverd^  call d by  Mr.  Dampier, 

Davis’^  Land,  214. 

Language,  187. 

Lavelia,  75. 

Leon,  75. 

Lightning,  80. 

Limpits,  128. 

Lizards,  113. 

Locufl-tree,  97. 

Lorenzo,  Cape,  68. 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


205 


M. 

Macaw-berries  and  Tree^  i6,  84. 

Macaw-birds,  116. 

Maho-tree,  91. 

Maiz,  Flower  and  Drink,  153,  166. 

Malacca,  i. 

Mammee-tree  and  Fruit,  88. 

Mammee-Sappota,  89. 

Manchinel-tree  and  Fruit,  poifonous,  90. 
Mangrove-trees,  61,  98. 

Marriages,  163. 

Mice,  109. 

[233]  St.  Michael’.?  Gulph,  47,  68,  71. 

Mijlaw  of  Plantains,  154. 

Mocha-//?^,  195,  215. 

Modejiy  of  the  Indians,  141,  162. 

Monkeys,  107,  195. 

Moon-ey  d \ViWi2Lr\s,  136. 

Moskitd s,  or  Gnats,  81, 

N. 

La  Nafca,  196. 

Nata,  75. 

Nicaragna-Z<2^^,  51. 

Nombre  de  Dios,  62. 

North-Sea  Coaji  of  the  Ifthmns,  52. 

No fe -rings,  144. 

Numbering  and  Numeral  Names,  1 8 1 . 
Numbednefs  with  drinking  Coco-milk,  193. 

O. 

Oil  of  Bibby -berries,  87. 

Olive,  206. 

of  the  Soldier -InfeCts ; its  Virtues,  ill. 


206 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


Old  Wives,  a Fifh,  125. 

Oranges,  206. 

Oyjiers,  195. 

[234]  P. 

Pacheque  IJland,  77. 

Panama,  48,  74,  77. 

Paracoods,  Fifh,  135. 

Parakites,  116. 

Parrots,  116. 

Parrot- fifh,  127. 

Pawawing,  or  Conjuring,  38. 

V^2s\-IJlands,  48,  77. 

Pecary,  Beaji,  104. 

Pelican,  119. 

Pendants,  145. 

Penfilvania,  223. 

Pepper,  100. 

Perica,  74,  77. 

Periw  inkles,  128. 

Sea- Pies,  12 1. 

Pine-apples,  Fruit,  89. 

Pines,  IJland,  55. 

Pifca,  195. 

Plantains,  87. 

Plantations,  152. 

Plates  of  Gold,  &c.  ornamental,  143. 

Popes-heads,  a Shrub,  27,  90. 

Portobel,  4,  47,  65. 

Port- Royal,  4. 

Potato's,  10 1. 

Prickle-pear,  Fruit,  27,  90. 

[235]  Privateers,  make  an  order  to  kill  thofe  that 
flag,  ’j,  four  left  on  the  Ifthmus  with  the  Author, 


WAFER’S  DARIEN 


207 


7.  leave  the  Ifthmus,  and  cruife  in  the  W. 
Indies,  43.  cruife  on  the  Coaji  of  Peru,  195. 
ProvifonSy  171. 

Punta  mala,  76. 

Q- 

Qnolla,  or  Landing-place y 2. 

Quam,  Birdy  115. 

R. 

Rabbits  y 107. 

Rainy  17,  80. 

RatSy  109. 

Realeja,  76. 

Recreations  y 167. 

Rio  Grande,  76. 

RiverSy  46,  51. 

hoty  190. 

S. 

Salty  how  madey  130. 

^dcmho- River y 68. 

Sambaloes  Channel y 58. 

Sambaloes,  IfleSy  48,  56. 

[236]  Sanballas,  Pointy  56,  60. 

Santa,  Ships  cafi  a-ground  thercy  210. 

Santa  Maria,  4,  69,  215. 

SappadilloeSy  Tree  and  Fruity  89. 

Savannahs y 72. 

Scrivan,  Porty  60. 

SculpinSy  Fifhy  127. 

Sea-Gulls  y 12 1. 

Sea-pies  y 121. 

Sea-fwiney  221. 


208 


WAFER^S  DARIEN 


Scuchadero,  70. 

Sharks^  124. 

Sheep,  198. 

Shell- fifh,  127. 

Ships  caji  fome  miles  on  the  fhore,  210. 
Shining  Fly,  122, 

Sholes,  71. 

Silk-grafi,  94. 

Smoaking,  102. 

Snakes,  109. 

Snooks,  Fifh,  127. 

Soil  of  the  lUhvoMS,  52,  77. 

Soldier -In feci,  1 10. 

La  Sounds  Key,  57. 

South-fea  Coaji  of  the  Ifllimus,  68. 
Spanifh  Indians,  64. 

Spaniards  defiroy  Mocha,  &c.  215. 
Spiders,  109. 

Springer Key,  57. 

Stingrays,  Fifh,  127. 

[237]  Storms,  216. 

Sugar,  206. 

Sugar-Canes,  90. 

T. 

Tamarinds,  97. 

Tar  pom,  Fifh,  104. 

Terra  del  Fuego,  216. 

Theft,  163. 

Thunder,  80. 

Tigers,  147. 

Teeth,  147. 

Time,  the  Indians  computation  of  it,  179. 
Tobacco,  102. 


WAFER'S  DARIEN 


Tortoife,  194. 
Travelling,  13,  177. 
Trees,  58,  83. 


209 


V. 

Valleys,  48. 

Venta  de  Cruzes,  73. 

Vermin,  109. 

Vermejo,  dead  Bodies  there,  208. 

W. 

Warree,  Beajl,  105. 

Wars,  I. 

[238]  Water,  48. 

Wax,  123. 

Weather,  79. 

Weaving,  160. 

Wine,.  La  Nafca,  Pifca,  &c.  196, 
Women,  138,  14O,  156,  162. 
Woods,  50,  78. 

Wood-pecker,  1 1 8 , 

Wood,  light,  95. 

red,  100. 

white,  96. 

Y 

Yams,  10 1. 

Ylo  River,  206. 


SUPPLEMENTARY  INDEX 
To  the  Introduction  and  Notes 

(The  numbers  refer  io  the  pagination  of  this  volume^  and  noty 
as  in  the  preceding  Index y to  that  of  the^ original 
edition  y reprinted  in  brackets  in  the  text.) 


Acosta,  Joaquin,  i68  note. 
Adultery,  how  punished,  154. 
Albinos,  133. 

Antarctic  regions,  buccaneers 
in,  16,  67,  179,  193. 

Antigua  Island,  16. 

Arica,  Chile,  13,  14. 

Atrato  River,  69  note. 

Ayres,  Philip,  17. 

Balsas  River,  56  note. 

Barbados  Island,  16. 

Bark  logs,  description  of,  46 
note,  49. 

Bayano  River,  49  note. 
Blood-letting,  54. 

Bowman,  William,  38,  44. 
Browne,  Zachary,  33. 

Caledonia,  Scotch  colony  in 
Darien,  20. 

Canaza  River,  43  note,  53  note. 
Canoes,  10,  95. 

Carolina,  piracy  in,  18,  btnote. 
Chepo  River,  49. 

Chugunaque  River,  85  note. 
Cobson,  Richard.  See  Gobsmi. 


Congo  River,  Colombia,  15,  38, 

87  note. 

Cook,  John,  18,  35,  65  notCy  67. 
Coxon,  II. 

Crooke,  William,  17,  18. 
Crusoe’s  Island,  192. 

Dampier,  William,  12,  15,  18, 
19.  35,  65. 

Darien  Company,  Scots’,  20. 
Davis,  John,  173,  177,  197. 
Doctors,  accompanying  bucca- 
neers, II,  14,  37,  55. 
Doctors,  Indian,  54. 

Drake,  Sir  Francis,  14. 

Drake’s  Island,  14,  15. 

Exquemeling,  John,  16. 

Gallapagos  Islands,  177. 
Gambling,  13,  16. 

Gayny,  George,  41. 

Gold,  56. 

Gopson,  or  Gobson,  Richard, 
37,  51,  62,  65. 

Greek  testament,  read  by  buc- 
caneers, 37. 

Guayaquil,  Ecuador,  13. 


212 


SUPPLEMENTARY  INDEX 


Hacke,  William,  17. 

Hingson,  John,  37,  48,  197. 
Hospital,  use  of,  by  buccaneers, 
14. 

Ilo,  Peru,  14. 

Jamaica,  9,  10. 

Juan  Fernandez  Islands,  13, 
179,  191. 

Kingston,  Jamaica,  8. 

Knapton,  James,  17,  25. 

Knight,  Captain,  177. 

Lizards,  116. 

Llama,  180. 

Lynch,  Stephen,  35. 

Madrid,  Treaty  of,  9. 

Magellan,  Strait  of,  12. 
Malthus,  Thomas,  17. 
Manchineel,  poison  of,  101  note. 
Mandingas,  tribe  of  Darien  na- 
tives, 53. 

Missionaries,  8. 

Modyford,  Thomas,  10,  35. 
Monkeys,  113,  178. 

Montirat,  M.  de,  21. 

Morgan,  Sir  Henry,  9,  16. 
Mulata  Islands,  70  note. 

Oedman,  S.,  23. 

Ostriches,  196. 

Panama,  88. 

Panama,  Gulf  of,  ii. 

Panama,  Sack  of,  9,  10. 

Petit  Guaves,  Haiti,  8,  67. 
Philadelphia,  buccaneers  in, 
19,  197. 

Piedrahita,  bishop  of  Panama, 
39,  82. 

Piracy,  8,  19,  197. 

Piracy,  in  Carolina,  18,  66  note. 
Plate,  Isle  of,  14. 

Port  Royal,  Jamaica,  9. 

Puebla  Nova,  Colombia,  12. 


Quinine,  185. 

Rafts,  use  of,  46. 

Restrepo,  Ernesto,  23. 
Restrepo,  Vicente,  23. 
Ringrose,  Basil,  16,  17. 

Sdbalo  River,  53. 

Salt,  how  made,  130. 

Sambalo  Islands,  70. 

Santa  Maria,  Colombia,  10. 
Santa  Maria  River,  15,  56  note, 
69  note. 

Sawkins,  12. 

Scotch  colony  in  Darien,  20. 
Sewel,  William,  21. 

Sharp,  Bartholomew,  12-17,  3^. 
Slaves,  negro,  held  by  bucca- 
neers, 14,  36,  37. 

Sloath,  1 14  note. 

Spratlin,  Robert,  38. 

Sucubti  River,  85  note. 

Swan,  Captain,  67,  173. 

Tartan,  adventures  of  Captain 
of,  22,  63. 

Tobacco,  109,  123. 

Trade,  articles  used  for,  51  note, 
137  note. 

Trade  and  Plantations,  Lords 
of,  9. 

Tristian,  Captain,  66  note,  155 
note. 

Truxillo,  Peru,  12,  177  note. 
Turtles,  176,  191  note, 

Tuyra  River,  69  note,  85  note. 

Virginia,  buccaneers  in,  18,  19, 
197- 

Wafer,  Lionel,  10,  14,  18,  36,  64. 
Watling,  John,  13. 

Women,  influence  of,  137. 
Wright,  Captain,  64  note,  65. 

Yanky,  Captain,  65. 


GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY 


3 3125  00034  0071 


